The Evil Within
by moviebuffgirl
Summary: "They were my family. My home. Now I truly have nothing." Loki has been stripped of his godly powers and believes his wife and child to be forever lost to him. But Sigyn arrives in Midgard under the mind control of Thanos, and The Avengers are forced to stop her from destroying the realm. Sequel to 'What is Loved Will Never Die'. Occurs post-Avengers, slightly AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This story is a sequel to "What Is Loved Will Never Die" and takes place after the events in "The Avengers". If you haven't read the first story yet, you might want to. ;)**

* * *

**Frigid**

_Stark Towers_

Sigyn exhaled, hearing the cries of her newborn child and the series of explosions that rang across the city. She opened her eyes slowly, feeling her child move between her thighs.

The birth had sapped her of most of her energy, but Sigyn forced herself to stand. She used her magic to cut the umbilical cord and leaned forward, wincing slightly as pain shot up her thighs.

"My love," Sigyn said softly, carrying the bloodied baby in her arms. "My sweet child."

Another explosion rocked the building, causing the baby to cry even more. Sigyn used a portion of her dress to wipe the blood off the naked form and slowly stood, willing herself to walk out of the room. While she felt weak, her concern for Loki's welfare gave her strength to inch her way towards the door.

Just as she stepped onto the hallway, a powerful force knocked Sigyn backwards. She felt the baby slip out of her grasp, and Sigyn instinctively cast a protective bubble around the child.

Seconds later Sigyn hit the floor, and she gave a soft cry of pain.

What were those distant thuds that she was hearing?

Sigyn struggled to sit up, but she felt drained.

_The child_, Sigyn reminded herself. Even now Sigyn could hear the incessant wailing of the baby, and it took nearly all of her strength for her to sit up and get to her feet. She swayed on the spot slightly, placing a shaking hand on her temple.

_Loki_, Sigyn thought, groping the walls and looking down at the ground, searching for her child. _Gods, help me_.

Whether the All-Father heard her or not, Sigyn never knew. Something heavy collided on the back of her head and Sigyn slumped to the floor. Her last desperate thought was: _Keep them safe_.

And darkness claimed her.

* * *

_Jotunheim_

"Sigyn, do not wander off," Laufey said, as he strode after the laughing 10-year old. Sigyn was wrapped in the warmest fur and was oblivious to the biting winds of the Jotunn wasteland.

Sigyn gathered a small ball of snow in her hands and glanced towards Laufey, grinning. "Snowball fight, Laufey!"

Laufey sighed and ran a hand down his face, feeling the rough markings. "Not today."

Sigyn shrugged her shoulders and continued making more snow balls on the ground. That was one of the things Laufey liked about Sigyn; she never complained when she didn't get her way. Laufey stopped, watching as Sigyn threw herself on the snow and moved her arms and legs, creating a snow angel.

After a few minutes Sigyn brushed herself off and looked at Laufey. "Is it time?" she asked softly.

Laufey nodded once. He gathered all of the Frost Giants once every year, if only to boost their morale and further solidify his status as their King. Today was that day, but Laufey allowed Sigyn to briefly play in the snow before she retreated to the warmth and safety of her chambers.

A slight rumble echoed, and Laufey's monstrous pet poked its head from the rock crevice where it normally lay. As it rested its snout on the cliff, Sigyn giggled and patted the monster's nose. It sniffed, taking in her scent, and gave a soft growl.

Laufey bit back a smile. He would never admit it to anyone, but Sigyn had brought warmth to this chilly wasteland of his. At first he was a bit hesitant to accept her as his ward – after all, what did a Jotunn know of rearing an Asgardian child? – but Sigyn proved to be capable of taking care of herself, even at a young age.

"Stay, Agriff," Sigyn said, patting the monster gently on the nose. Agriff gave a snort and then disappeared back into the crevice. Sigyn smiled and walked towards Laufey, tilting her head to look up at him.

Laufey led the way back to the palace, which was nothing like the grand structures in Asgard. It was simply made from carved rocks, with the highest platform reserved for Laufey and Sigyn's use. The other Jotunn had gathered there, and they stepped to one side as Laufey and Sigyn approached.

Laufey noticed that Sigyn tensed slightly as she walked through the crowd of Frost Giants. Still she held her head high, determined not to let the other Jotunn notice how nervous and scared she probably felt.

Laufey sat on the high seat, his eyes following Sigyn as she made her way inside her chambers. Once he was satisfied that she was safely inside, he began the proceedings.

* * *

_Somewhere in the far reaches of the cosmos_

"Laufey," Sigyn whispered, her breath forming the familiar mist in front of her. Sigyn lifted her arms, the shackles clinking as she moved.

"She still hasn't been broken." Thanos's cold voice broke through the silence, and The Other bowed his head.

"Forgive me, my lord," The Other replied, and despite the pain that coursed through her veins, Sigyn could sense fear in his voice. "But she is resisting my torture methods."

"It isn't effective enough," Thanos snapped, and The Other flinched, as if he had been gut-punched. Thanos walked towards Sigyn, who was lying on her side. With a flick of his wrist, Thanos lifted Sigyn to her feet. "She's weak."

"Only her body, my lord," The Other answered, inching closer. "Her mind isn't. Quite remarkable, really."

Thanos whipped around, furious. "I do not care whether you find her remarkable or not! _Break her_."

Thanos lashed out at Sigyn, and the goddess screamed. Fiery whips of pain sliced through her body, and Sigyn shuddered. Thanos lashed out at the goddess again and again, and each time Sigyn screamed, curling into a fetal position in a vain attempt to avoid the attack.

"_That_ is how you torture a prisoner," Thanos finally said, glaring at The Other. "The lack of screams show me you are not committed to your role, Other. Perhaps I may need to find a replacement."

"No, my lord," The Other said quickly. "We will break her."

"Soon," Thanos added, and The Other echoed the sentiment. "She is our key to getting into Asgard. The sooner we have her under our power," Thanos sent another fiery whiplash at Sigyn, who whimpered, "The sooner we can retrieve the Tesseract. And how long we have to wait depends on you."

Thanos eyed The Other one last time before leaving. The Other approached Sigyn, who was breathing fast.

"Please," was all she said. The Other could see the bruises on her arms, as well as the long red gashes that ran down her legs. While these were in the process of healing – _Asgardians certainly had fast healing abilities_, The Other thought enviously – The Other was aware that the goddess was exhausted from the days' long torture she had just endured.

In response, The Other used his magic to send images of Sigyn's dead husband, his body bent, twisted, and broken. She turned her head this way and that, whimpering as the images filled her mind.

"Loki," Sigyn gasped. The Other continued sending her various images of a dead Loki, and each time Sigyn gave a soft cry. But like before, Sigyn soon became silent, as her mind transported her back to her stay in Jotunheim, which was a significantly warmer place than she was in now.

* * *

_Asgard_

The place was cold.

So very, very cold.

Loki gripped the side of the bed, finally standing up and pacing the entire length of the prison cell. It had been days since he last saw his wife – surely Iwaldi and Freya would not have kept her from him this long?

Sigyn herself wouldn't have allowed to be kept from his side, even for an hour. Loki gritted his teeth, silently berating himself for the millionth time. The very idea of Sigyn not being here with him was a sword thrust to the heart.

_Loki_.

Loki raised his head, as if expecting to see his wife standing just beyond the cell bars. Her voice had come to him so suddenly, so powerfully, it was as if she was mere inches from him.

_Loki_.

"Sigyn," Loki said, his voice hoarse. "Where are you?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Trial**

_Asgard_

The entire realm was in an uproar.

Loki Laufeyson, the adopted younger son of Odin, had attempted to rule Midgard, slaughtering hundreds of Midgardians in the process. It was a topic that refused to die down, but no Asgardian dared speak of it within earshot of the royal family.

Down in the dungeons, Loki was heavily guarded, but anyone who bothered to look into his cell would have seen that the God of Mischief was not his usual self.

Defeated and sick with worry over his wife and child, Loki had not the time to pull any tricks or pranks, nor did he have the stomach for it. He spent his days in quiet solitude, and the guards soon wondered what was wrong with him.

Loki may have looked passive on the outside, but his mind was buzzing with thoughts. His powers were bound, which meant that he could not use his usual methods to escape. His guards were there all day and all night; replacements went directly outside his cell instead of waiting outside the dungeon, as was the normal practice, and it was said that Odin had ordered his ravens to keep a constant watch on Loki's cell.

_They do not understand_, Loki thought furiously, his eyes snapping to the backs of the guards. _I need to find my wife_!

But Loki was aware that if he showed any signs of aggression, his security would be tightened even more. While his current situation seemed hopeless, Loki was positive that he could find a way out of his predicament.

He had no other choice.

Nobody even bothered to give him news of Sigyn's whereabouts, not even Thor. Loki found Thor's silence on Sigyn's absence infuriating; it was as if his "brother" did not care for Sigyn's welfare.

_Or perhaps he knows what happened to her_, Loki thought with a jolt. _He knows what happened to Sigyn in Midgard, and he refuses to tell me_.

Loki shook the abhorrent thought from his mind. No, Sigyn was not dead. She couldn't be. Loki refused to even consider the possibility, but it soon begun to gnaw at his thoughts.

Two days after Loki and Thor's return to Asgard, Frigga visited her younger son.

"Loki," Frigga said softly, reaching out to him. "My son."

"Mother." The word was forced, but Frigga ignored it. "How good of you to come."

"I wanted to see you earlier, Loki," Frigga said, her maternal instincts kicking in. "But the All-Father told me to wait. Loki…Loki where is Sigyn? We have not seen her since before Thor left for Midgard."

Loki's hands shook, and he clasped these behind him so that Frigga wouldn't see. "I do not know, Mother. I haven't seen her since I fell from the Bifrost."

A tear slipped from Frigga's eye, and Loki felt a pang of guilt, which he pushed back. "Oh my poor son. Loki, Sigyn is pregnant."

Loki blinked, playing the part of a surprised husband to the hilt. "Pregnant?"

Frigga nodded. "She was going to tell you, but then you fell. Perhaps she has gone away, thinking that you would never return."

"And the All-Father has done nothing to locate her?" Loki asked, incensed. Was Odin's hatred of him extended to his family as well?

"Your father did all that he could," Frigga answered. "But even Freya and Iwaldi did not know where she was."

Loki saw his chance and seized it. "Mother, please. Help me get out of this cell. I must find her – her and my child."

Frigga hesitated. Before she could say anything else, Odin stepped into the dungeon. Loki pulled away from Frigga, trying hard not to let his hatred and distaste show in his expression.

"You will do nothing of the kind," Odin exclaimed, ignoring Frigga's pleading glance. "We will locate Sigyn soon enough, and I am certain the two of you will have a very happy reunion. But in the meantime, you will face your judgment."

Odin didn't bother to wait for Loki or Frigga to reply; instead, he swept out of the dungeon, accompanied by a raven, which settled on his shoulder.

Frigga wiped her tears and stood up. "Be brave, my son. I will do what I can." And she too, left Loki. The doors to the dungeon clanged shut, and Loki was alone.

* * *

Thor paced his chambers, his red cape sweeping the floor. Sif and Fandral were in the room with him, and they both looked pensive.

"Cease your pacing, my friend," Fandral finally said, stroking his chin. "Loki will face the full might of Asgardian justice in a few hours' time."

Sif nudged Fandral, who realized that he may have said the wrong thing.

"That is, of course, what you wanted, is it not?" Fandral added quickly.

"No," Thor growled, his feet thundering against the marble floor. "I just wanted my brother home. But his crimes…his actions…he asked for war!"

"And he has lost," Sif pointed out. "What is it that agitates you so?"

Thor remained silent. He hadn't told anyone of Sigyn's involvement in Loki's crimes, and he wondered if he should. Even now, Thor couldn't believe that someone as pure and innocent as Sigyn could help kill hundreds of people.

_She loves him too much_, Thor thought with sadness. Again, Thor remembered the brave young girl whom he and Loki had accompanied to the Bifrost all those years ago, when she was to be sent to Jotunheim to be Laufey's ward.

It was her unflinching devotion and loyalty as an Asgardian that had led her to become the Goddess of Fidelity, and the only person who could possibly control Loki.

Now she was gone, and Thor could see how much her absence affected his brother.

_But Loki has to face the consequences of his actions_, Thor decided. _No matter how much it pains me_.

* * *

Loki was shackled, bound, and led to the main hall. Most of Asgard had gathered in and around the palace, while a select few had been admitted inside the hall itself.

Loki was marched through the crowds and down the hall. All the while he maintained a passive expression, and most of the people who saw him said that he looked unconcerned, even bored.

Odin, Frigga, and Thor were standing on the dais, the former's eyes narrowing as he saw Loki being led into the hall. Frigga and Thor, on the other hand, looked from the All-Father to the lost prince of Asgard, obviously apprehensive of the judgment Odin would pass on his adopted son.

Once Loki was standing a few feet from the dais, Odin raised his staff and pounded it twice on the ground. All fell silent, their eyes trained on the front of the hall.

"Loki Laufeyson," Odin began, speaking Loki's true name for the first time. "You have been brought here to hear your judgment. You have been found guilty of committing crimes in the realm known as Midgard, for the sole aim of placing it under your rule. How do you plead?"

Loki raised his head and stared at Odin in the eyes. "Not guilty."

A sudden buzz of whispers erupted throughout the hall.

"Silence!" Odin returned Loki's defiant gaze. "The evidence speaks otherwise."

"That is my plea, and no other," Loki answered.

Odin stood, stepping down from his throne. "And you have nothing to say in your defense?"

Loki opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

"Stop!"

A woman's voice rang throughout the hall, encompassing even that of the All-Father's. The crowd, including Loki and the royal family, turned towards the main doors.

Freya stood there, as radiant and beautiful as ever. Her fair hair streamed behind her, and her dress rippled as she moved forward. But they could all see that she had dark circles under her eyes, and her cheekbones were more pronounced.

"All Father, I beg you, hear me!" Freya called, her voice tinged with desperation.

_No_, Loki thought, his eyes widening. Only one thing could cause Freya to lose all sense of propriety, to barge in the midst of an important hearing.

Odin looked shocked at Freya's sudden interruption and appearance, but he recovered quickly. "Speak, Freya."

"I have seen…I have seen my child!" Freya's words cut through Loki like a red hot knife. "Sigyn! She's…she's being tortured! Tortured! My Sigyn!"

Freya was hysterical now; Frigga rushed to Freya, who clutched the queen tightly.

"Who is torturing her?" Odin demanded, his eye narrowing. "Who?"

Freya shook her head and made several gestures. An orb erupted from her fingertips and expanded, so that the images in it could be seen by everyone in the hall.

Sigyn was lying on the ground, tears streaking her face. Her dress was torn in several places, her hair was in disarray, and wounds lined her exposed skin. Sigyn struggled to sit up, her eyes sliding this way and that, as if seeking an invisible attacker.

"No," Loki moaned, despair and grief in his tone. "Sigyn…"

A sudden force knocked Sigyn back, and she screamed in pain.

"NO!" Loki leapt to his feet and rushed at the image of his wife. The guards had difficulty restraining him; Loki's eyes were fixed on Sigyn, who was now gasping his name.

"Loki," she whimpered, just as another wave passed through her body, sending her screaming.

"NO! SIGYN!" Loki roared, straining to be free from the guards' grip. "Let me go, she needs me!"

The images changed focus, sliding lower to focus on Sigyn's belly.

It was flat.

The bulge of her pregnancy was gone, and there were no cries of a child, aside from Sigyn's screams.

"I cannot see the child!" Freya exclaimed, and the image of Sigyn vanished. "I cannot see my grandchild!"

It was then when Loki snapped. He dropped to his hands and knees, staring at the marble floor. Tears flowed unchecked down his cheeks, and all he felt was grief.

His child was dead. His wife was being tortured in an unknown realm. Loki threw his head back and screamed.

Screamed for Sigyn, his heart and soul. Screamed for his child, whom he had left to die.


	3. Chapter 3

**Punishment**

_Asgard_

Freya's arrival had brought forth a new predicament. Odin watched as Loki screamed in grief. The All-Father sat back down on his throne, his chest heavy.

Thor glanced at him, as if silently asking if this was the right time to continue the trial. Odin steeled himself and pounded his staff on the ground once more. Frigga led the now-sobbing Freya to the side, where she tried to calm the distraught goddess.

Odin nodded to the guards, who pulled Loki to his feet.

"Your punishment, Loki Laufeyson, has been passed. The knowledge that your wife has been tortured, and your child, killed, is punishment enough in my eyes."

"Father," Thor began. He could not believe his ears. The All Father refused to sentence Loki because Sigyn was already paying for her husband's crimes?

Odin shot Thor a warning look and continued. "You will remain here in Asgard, and I bind your powers so that you may never attempt to subjugate any other realm with your misdeeds."

This sentence brought a flurry of protests from the crowd, who begged the All Father to reconsider. But Odin would not be swayed; he believed Loki to have suffered enough, and to punish him further would be cruel.

The trial ended and Odin swept out of the hall. As he expected, Frigga went to him in the privacy of their chambers.

"Why?" was all she asked, her eyes glistening.

"Why? Why did I not sentence our son? His wife is being tortured, and our grandchild is dead! Do you not think that is punishment enough?"

"Must you have said it so callously?" Frigga approached him, tears slipping down her cheeks. "She is our daughter-in-law! Do you plan on doing nothing to find her?"

"My dear of course I plan on finding her! I care for Sigyn's welfare just as much as you do!"

"Then you should have told Loki that! Our son thinks that you do not care for his wife and his child!" Frigga looked at him for a few more seconds before turning on her heel and leaving the chamber. Odin watched her go, sighing.

They never understood why he had to do the things he did. But Frigga's words rang true; perhaps he should have made his intentions to find Sigyn known. But it was too late to do anything now, except to begin the hunt for his daughter-in-law.

Odin summoned several of his trusted warriors, telling them to scour every realm in search for Sigyn.

"Find her and learn the identity of her abductor," Odin instructed. "We must know who had the gall to kidnap a goddess of Asgard."

Each of the warriors slapped their fists against their chest and, once Odin dismissed them, left the room. Odin made his way to the balcony, where the gazed down at the city.

He could make out several Asgardians move in the streets below. But admittedly his mind flew back to the young girl he had previously sent to Jotunheim all those years ago.

* * *

Loki was inconsolable.

Freya's account of how she had helped Sigyn give birth echoed in his mind, mixed with her soft sobs. When he heard the part of how Sigyn had managed to get on her feet, carrying her child – their child – and lurch out of the room due to her concern for him, he gave another mournful moan and buried his head in his hands.

"I know you love her," Freya continued. She was slumped on the floor in front of Loki's cell, her head against the metal bars. "And for that I thank you."

"No," Loki said hoarsely. His throat felt dry. "No, Freya. Thank _you_. Thank you for letting me be a part of…a part of her life."

Freya smiled at him sadly. "The All-Father does not plan on finding her?"

Loki turned away, so that Freya could not see the rage that flashed across his face. "No. He said nothing of the kind."

"I thought…I thought he cared for her."

"Far less than either of us," Loki spat. "I could have forgiven him for punishing me, but to leave Sigyn at the mercy of her captors? Never."

"If I could only see the realm she is in." Freya gripped the bars and stood. She remained where she was for a few moments, waiting for Loki to say something else. When he remained silent, she turned away.

"I know this is all my fault."

It was almost a whisper, but Freya heard it. "No, it isn't."

She didn't look at Loki; she didn't want to see his grief that undoubtedly surpassed hers.

"If I had not loved her, then perhaps she would have married someone who could have given her a better life. Not this."

"But she loved you. She would have no other. Whatever life she has had, you have made it worth living in her eyes."

Freya couldn't trust herself to speak anymore, and so she left. The doors clanged shut behind her, and it was then when Loki allowed himself to wallow in his grief once more.

* * *

"And he plans to do nothing about it?" Thor asked, incredulous. "Nothing at all?"

"Your father plans on sending a small force to search for her," Frigga answered.

"If he wanted the job done right he would have sent me!" Thor pounded his fist on the table, leaving several cracks. "I could find her, I'm sure of it. Does Heimdall not see where she is being kept?"

Frigga shook her head. "He says a powerful cloak of magic covers the realm. It is too powerful to break."

"Then that is our way." Thor picked Mjolnir from its place on the ground and headed to the door. Sif and The Warriors Three, who were inside the room as well, followed the prince.

"Thor," Frigga called, and Thor paused at the doorway.

"Yes, Mother?"

Frigga exhaled. "Find her. I fear for your brother's sanity, Thor. The news has broken him completely."

"If Father hadn't bound his powers, he would have been a greater asset," Thor growled. Loki's knowledge of magic was practically limitless, but since the God of Mischief no longer possessed most of his abilities (save for his immortality), he could no longer help them search for Sigyn.

Thor and the other warriors left, and Frigga sighed. She could only imagine the pain Loki was going through. To know that his child was dead and his wife being constantly tortured was a hell unto itself.

And Frigga feared that Loki may soon break.

* * *

**Author's Note: To those who've left reviews, favorited and followed this story, thank you! :) I know things are looking low, but don't worry. I've written some funny moments in the coming chapters. Just hang in there. ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Alone**

_Asgard_

The garden was alive with the chirping of birds, and yet it felt as cold as Jotunheim. Loki, having been moved from the dungeons to his old rooms, had decided to take a walk around the palace to clear his head. He found that he preferred the dungeon cell to his chambers; the latter reminded him too much of Sigyn.

But then again, everything did.

Memories flooded his mind and Loki knew he was slowly going mad. The flowers reminded him of her fragrance, the sun reminded him of her hair, and the wind reminded him of her soft touch.

Loki headed to the garden maze, wishing he could get lost in its depths and somehow find his way back into the arms of his wife.

_Red gashes, blood seeping from the wounds._

_No_, Loki thought, shaking the image of his wife's bruised body from his mind. But once the images formed, it stayed there, like an ever-lasting plague.

"Enough!" Loki roared, slapping his palms against the side of his head. He shut his eyes and tried to focus on something – anything – that could shake the visions of his tortured wife from his mind.

_Loki._

A slight breeze came, and with it, Sigyn's voice. Loki opened his eyes, hoping to see Sigyn running towards him, her hair streaming behind her.

The garden remained empty and Loki's heart sank. Sigyn's voice had rang out in the garden as clear as day.

_Loki, we are waiting for you, my love._

"Sigyn," Loki whispered.

_Yes, my love. Follow my voice._

"Sigyn," Loki called, hurrying down the path. He felt her presence: her warm, intoxicating presence. Her voice led him through the maze, where he finally stumbled upon a small clearing, where Sigyn was sitting on a stone bench.

In her arms she cradled a baby, who had small tufts of jet black hair. The baby shifted and, seeing Loki, gave a soft cry and raised its chubby arm towards him.

Loki took a few steps forward, hardly daring to believe his eyes.

"Loki." Sigyn smiled and shifted the baby slightly in her arms. The child continued to stare at Loki, who felt tears of joy spring to his eyes. "Come meet your son."

Loki dared not blink, afraid that it was all a mirage. A few seconds passed and the baby started crying softly.

"Loki? Will you not hold our child?" Sigyn asked, looking at him curiously. "He has waited so long to see his father."

That was all it took for Loki to fill the remaining space between his wife and son. But before he could feel the softness of his wife's skin beneath his hands, she vanished.

"No," Loki gasped, as he realized that he had been hallucinating. "Take me with you! Sigyn, please!"

His voice had dropped to a whisper, and he fell to his knees. "Take me with you," he murmured, tears falling down his cheeks once more.

He grasped at the grass, feeling the cool soil beneath his fingers. If only he could feel his wife's arms around him again. The image of his son, who seemed to have inherited his hair and Sigyn's captivating eyes, now haunted him as well.

* * *

Frigga watched as Loki walked through the great hall, oblivious to everything and everyone around him. Freya joined her, noticing her son-in-law's progress through the room.

"He claims to see her now," Freya said softly. She had been spending time with Loki for the past few days, but her visits became less and less. "He once mistook me for her."

Frigga sighed. "First it was Thor and Sigyn who walked these halls, mourning for his loss. Now Loki mourns for the loss of his family."

"The warriors have not located her then?"

"No. They have visited Svartalfheim, Nornheim, and even Midgard," Frigga answered. "But they found no trace of Sigyn or of her captors."

"The realm looked like a chilly wasteland," Freya commented. "Perhaps…Jotunheim?"

Frigga glanced at the goddess. "Loki nearly destroyed the realm. But perhaps it is worth a look."

"I fear he may soon go mad," Freya continued, as if Frigga hadn't spoken. "Loki imagines her presence, convinced that he had seen Sigyn in the bath, in the garden, almost everywhere he goes. When he realizes it was simply his imagination, he sinks into despair. I know he loves her, but it's as if he has placed all of his existence on her and their child."

"Don't we all?" Frigga said. "My son has felt alone his entire life, and your daughter has helped fill the loneliness. Now her life is in danger, and he is powerless to save her. I pray they find Sigyn soon. For all our sakes - and especially Loki's."

The two women fell silent as Loki neared them. Frigga gave her son a tight hug, one that gave Loki an ounce of comfort. Frigga heard him mumble something, and she pulled away. "What was that, my son?"

"They were my family. My home," Loki said listlessly. "Now I truly have nothing."

Before Frigga or Freya could say anything else, he walked past them, his boots thudding softly on the floor. Freya turned her head, watching as Loki disappeared behind the gossamer curtains.


	5. Chapter 5

**Journey**

_Asgard_

Thor swept through the palace, flanked by Volstagg and Hogun, while Fandral and Sif had gone on to the All-Father's chambers to tell him of their successful mission.

Thor had finally located the realm where Sigyn was. It was a small star close to Midgard, and Thor marveled at the ingenuity of it all. After all, who would think of looking in a place so close to the realm where Sigyn had been abducted?

Unfortunately, the area had been cloaked by powerful magic, and Thor knew that they needed Loki to break through its defenses.

"Where is my brother?" Thor asked the guards. One of them pointed to Loki's chambers, and Thor strode past them without further ado. "Loki!"

Loki was standing on the balcony, looking at the setting sun. He turned as Thor entered the room, and the God of Thunder saw the dark circles under Loki's eyes and the hollowed out cheeks. "Thor."

"We have located your wife," Thor announced, stopping a few feet away from his brother.

Loki raised his eyebrows, and Thor saw hope flash in his brother's eyes. "You have? Where is she?"

"In Uranus," Volstagg replied with a wide grin.

"Excuse me?" Loki frowned at the warrior, whose grin quickly slid off his face. "I am not in the mood to jest, Volstagg."

Thor sighed. "What our dear friend means is that she is in a star called Uranus. It is relatively close to Midgard."

"I believe the Midgardians call such stars 'planets'," Hogun offered, and Thor acknowledged him with a nod of his head.

"We must go to her," Loki said immediately, but Thor placed a restraining hand on Loki's shoulder. Loki glanced at Thor's hand and then at Thor, as if telling his brother to remove his hand.

"In good time," Thor assured him. "The star is protected by powerful magic, and we cannot breach its defenses. We need you."

"The All Father has taken my powers, you know that," Loki snapped. "He will not be easily persuaded."

"We will do all we can, Loki," Thor said. "I thought it best that you know where Sigyn is, and that we are doing everything in our power to retrieve her."

Loki's expression softened. "Thank you…brother."

Thor smiled and patted Loki's shoulder. "And we will make sure that her abductor will pay for what he has done to her."

"Oh yes." Loki's tone became deadly, and his expression became frigid. "He will pay dearly."

* * *

The news of Thor's discovery flew fast through Asgard. Now the question remained: when would the All-Father dispatch his forces to retrieve the goddess? Would Thor lead an army into the star and wage war on her mysterious abductor?

"What do you mean, you forbid it?" Thor's voice thundered in the All-Father's chambers. Odin's eyes narrowed. "She is there! Right there! Why do you refuse to give Loki's powers back? He is the only one who can help us!"

"I will not risk Loki taking over another realm!"

"But he does not want to! All he wants is to have his wife here," Thor argued.

Odin raised a warning finger. "We will send our forces and take her."

"The star is protected with magic, and only a master of magic can break it. We need Loki."

"No. Loki will remain here, in Asgard. I will not risk him running amok again. Our warriors are capable enough, and we will have Sigyn here with us soon."

Thor knew better than to argue with Odin, but something deep within him snapped. "Then _I _will lead our forces."

Odin looked at Thor sharply. "No. The last time you traveled to another realm you nearly caused a war."

"Her captors have declared war on us when they kidnapped one of our own!"

"SILENCE!" Odin's voice rang through the chamber. "I have said my piece, and you would do well to remember your place, Thor Odinson."

Thor gritted his teeth and left the chamber. On his way to Loki's chambers, he bumped into Freya, who clutched Thor's arms.

"Is it true? Have you found her?" Freya's eyes were wide, and she was looking at Thor hopefully.

"Yes, Freya," Thor answered, and Freya sighed in relief. "Father will be sending warriors to retrieve her."

"And..and you? Will you not go?"

Thor shook his head. "The All-Father has forbidden me to interfere."

"Just bring her back here," Freya pleaded. It was as if she hadn't heard his previous sentence, and Thor nodded.

"We will."

Freya nodded her thanks, and Thor gave the goddess a reassuring hug. "She will be with us soon. And her abductor will never wish he laid violent hands on her."

* * *

_Stark Towers_

Pepper Potts stepped out of the elevator, seeing the destruction that the Chitauri – and the Hulk – had caused in Tony's rooftop suite. Pepper coughed as she inhaled the smoke, and made her way to the bar.

It was then when she heard a sound that she did not expect to hear: that of a baby crying softly.

Pepper followed the sound of the baby's cry, which was coming from the small lounge. She pushed the door open and gasped.

The baby was lying under an overturned armchair, which had protected the child from the blasts that were now slowly dwindling. There were a few blood smears on the baby's body, and it looked as if it had just been born.

"Where did _you_ come from?" Pepper cooed softly, picking the baby up in her arms. The baby looked at her, its fingers touching her long blonde hair. Almost immediately it stopped crying and gave a soft giggle.

Pepper couldn't help but smile at the baby. "I bet you're hungry. Well, let's see what we can give you, okay?"

Pepper walked out of the lounge, snagging Tony's jacket from the nearby couch and wrapping it around the baby. The elevator doors slid open, and Pepper stepped inside. The ride down was smooth, and Pepper found herself cuddling and cooing at the baby as if it were her own.

The elevator ride also gave Pepper time to collect her thoughts. How could she explain the baby's sudden presence to Tony? She certainly couldn't say that it was hers – Tony would never believe it in a million years – and even though she had seen and held the baby for only a few minutes, she felt especially protective towards it.

Or rather, _her_.

"I know," Pepper said to the baby, who was clutching onto a lock of her blonde hair. "I'll call you Antonia. After Anthony. He'll like that."

The baby giggled.

"You like it? Good. Little Antonia." Pepper held the baby close to her chest and waited for the elevator doors to open, stepping out on the 14th floor, which was where the cafeteria was.

Antonia seemed to realize where she was, for she suddenly shifted, looking as the metal display case that was filled with food came closer.

None of the servers were around, since they left as soon as the battle started. Pepper dampened a clean kitchen towel and wiped the blood off Antonia's body. Once the baby was clean, Pepper managed to find a milk box and a milk bottle, which one of the employees had left.

"I know you're supposed to breastfeed, but, well, let's give this a try," Pepper said, pouring the milk into the bottle. She knew she was going out on a limb here, but she didn't want to risk going out into the streets while the battle raged.

When the plastic teat neared Antonia's mouth, the baby quickly latched on to it and sucked the milk greedily. Within seconds she had consumed the entire bottle, and Pepper smiled in relief. Antonia finished two more milk boxes before Pepper patted her on the back, helping her give out a healthy burp.

Pepper looked at Antonia, who was resting her head on the crook of Pepper's arm. Soon the baby was fast asleep, several tufts of jet black hair sticking out from the top of her head.

* * *

**Author's Note: To the anonymous reviewer, thank you for pointing out that fact. :) I'm actually aware of it, but I decided to go in a different direction. ;) I hope that won't keep you from continuing to read this story. Still, I followed part of your advice and rewrote the summary. Thanks again! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Diapers**

_Stark Towers_

"Pepper! Antonia's messed up the damn infield again!"

Tony Stark stared at the little baby sitting in the middle of his office. It was nearly twelve months since Loki's attack in Midgard, and life had settled down pretty well. The only thing that was new in Tony's life – and the life of the Avengers – was the presence of little Antonia Potts.

While Tony had been downright flattered that Pepper's cousin had named his daughter after him, he wasn't so flattered with all the diaper changes that he'd had to do since the baby arrived.

"Pepper, does Iron Man change diapers? No he doesn't. He goes out and saves lives," Tony had argued the first time Pepper had asked him to change Antonia's diaper.

"Well, Iron Man isn't out saving lives right now, so he can go and change the baby's diaper," Pepper had replied, handing him a clean one.

"Jarvis, isn't there a disturbance I should know about?" Tony had asked desperately, looking at the diaper in his hand.

"No Sir," Jarvis had replied, and Tony seemed to detect amusement in the computer's voice.

Great. Even his own computer was against him.

"Pepper!" Tony noticed the ever present pack of diapers on the mahogany side table and grunted. She was probably busy with paperwork, and Tony grudgingly approached the baby. "Time to change your diapers, Antonia."

Antonia turned her head slowly and slammed the rubber cow she was playing with on the floor. Drool dribbled down her chin, and she grinned cheekily at Tony.

"Oh no, you know how much I hate doing this," Tony told her, walking towards Antonia. "Don't make this any harder, okay?"

Tony scooped the baby in his arms and grimaced at the smell coming from the soiled diaper. "Jesus, what did you eat, Antonia?"

Antonia's only reply was a giggle, and Tony's mouth twitched. "Jarvis, bring out the changing table."

A soft whirring noise was heard, and the diaper changing table he had had installed in his office unfolded beside the said side table. Tony set Antonia down and put his hands on his hips.

"Do you require a step-by-step guide to changing a diaper, Sir?" Jarvis offered.

"Thought you'd never say it," Tony said, and listened as Jarvis told him the various steps. Tony winced at the potent whiff as he took off the old diaper and tossed it into the attached garbage bin. He quickly bombarded Antonia's bottom with baby powder, nearly forgetting to use Wet Wipes to remove any waste that had been "left behind".

Tony had a slight problem figuring how to strap the diaper in place, and it took him a few tries – and several discarded diapers – before he was done.

Soon Antonia was sitting up on the changing table, while Tony had slumped into a nearby armchair. The two simply stared at each other, with Antonia giggling and reaching for Tony every now and then.

"What's going on?" Pepper asked as she came into the office a few minutes later. "Tony, are you okay?"

"I just finished changing your niece's diaper," Tony announced, as if he had just discovered the cure for cancer. "Where were you?"

"Finishing these reports." Pepper held up a thick stack of papers, which she set on Tony's desk.

"Fantastic." Tony got to his feet while Pepper carried Antonia, the changing table folding back into place.

Antonia gurgled happily as Pepper carried her, although she kept looking at Tony.

"Pepper," Tony said after some time, "I think Antonia wants milk."

Pepper looked at Tony, her eyebrows raised. Antonia was cooing, her fingers clutching several locks of Pepper's hair. "How do you know?"

"Oh, I heard her stomach rumble a few minutes ago," Tony answered nonchalantly.

"Right." Pepper turned from Tony, smiling.

Pepper knew that despite Tony's protests that he wasn't going to feel close to the baby, he would eventually come to like little Antonia. When Pepper had introduced Antonia to Tony and the rest of the Avengers, who were resting after their battle with Loki and his Chitauri forces, it was Tony who didn't seem too enthusiastic about the baby's presence.

Antonia had quickly charmed the rest of the Avengers, with Tony the only one keeping his reservations. Antonia liked pulling at Natasha's red curls, laughing whenever a curl sprung back in place. Clint and Steve, despite all their masculinity, babbled like lunatics whenever Antonia cried. And Bruce…

Bruce was probably the Avenger – besides Tony – whom Antonia was close to. Pepper remembered the first time Antonia saw Bruce in his Hulk form; she had raised her head, looked straight into the Hulk's eyes, and giggled.

Now she liked to sit on Bruce's lap whenever the scientist visited Stark Towers, but there was one heart-stopping moment when she had tried approaching the Hulk after a careless employee had Tazered Bruce accidentally, setting off his rage.

Antonia had crawled towards the Hulk, who was in the process of raising the prototype engine he and Tony had been working on, and blew a series of wet raspberries. The Hulk had stopped, and the massive green giant looked down at the baby who was as huge as one of his abs.

"Da," Antonia had gurgled, raising her hand at the Hulk. The Hulk blinked, at a loss as what to do. Tony had had to don his Iron Man suit to retrieve Antonia, and twenty minutes later the situation was under control.

Pepper smiled at the memories, watching as Antonia lay on her back on the couch, sucking happily at the milk.

Natasha and Clint entered the room then, discussing something in low tones. When they saw Pepper and Antonia, the two stopped their conversation.

"Hey Pepper," Clint said with a smile, while Natasha sat close to Antonia on the couch. "Where's Tony?"

"In his office." Pepper nodded towards the glass door. Antonia finished her milk and Pepper took the bottle from her; a few seconds later the baby burped.

"She'll grow up to be a beautiful girl," Natasha murmured, allowing Antonia to hold her finger. "Just like her Aunt Nat. Hey, has she said her first word yet?"

Pepper shook her head. "No. We're waiting for it to happen."

"I bet Tony wants Antonia's first word to be 'Stark'," Clint said with a grin.

"If it is, he'll never let us forget it." Natasha wiggled her finger and Antonia giggled, rolling onto her stomach. Natasha carried Antonia and cuddled her close, while Clint watched with a smile.

"Is something going on?" Pepper asked, setting the empty milk bottle on the table. Natasha and Clint exchanged a meaningful glance and then nodded.

"Nick Fury has just received a message from someone. It's rather garbled, but it came off as a warning," Clint answered.

"He's reactivating the Avengers Initiative, just in case it turns out to be another Loki," Natasha finished, pulling Antonia's hand away from her hair.

The door to Tony's office opened, and he stepped out, his reactor glowing slightly. "Clint. Natasha. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"The Avengers Initiative is to be reactivated," Natasha replied. Antonia leaned her head against Natasha's shoulder and stared at something in the room. "Fury has received a message that he believes comes from another realm."

"Asgard?" Tony frowned slightly. "I thought Point Break promised us that his brother wouldn't break out from his prison."

"We aren't completely sure." Clint looked at Natasha and then to Tony. "But we're being summoned to a meeting in two days. Fury wants to be prepared."

Tony nodded. "I'll be there."

Clint and Natasha stayed for a few more minutes, the former using the feathers from one of his arrows to send Antonia into a giggling fit. Finally they left, and Tony turned to Pepper. "It never ends, does it?"

"You knew that when you became Iron Man," Pepper pointed out. "Suck it up."

Tony smirked and then saw that Antonia was already sleeping. With a tight smile, he turned away and strode back into his office.

He would never admit it to anyone in a million years, but the kid was certainly growing on him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Darkness**

_Uranus_

The Other stared at the goddess lying on the ground in front of him, her bruised body slowly returning to its unblemished appearance. Sigyn was shaking, her eyes rolling to the back of her head, and she was whimpering softly.

Thanos, out of frustration with The Other's failure in breaking Sigyn, had bombarded Sigyn with constant images of her dead child and Loki. At first Sigyn managed to hold on against Thanos – who further sent fiery whips down the entire length of her body – but soon the images broke past her mental barrier.

Now, Thanos was confident that Sigyn had responded to his mind control, and that they would soon get their plans in motion.

"Who do you love?" Thanos asked, as he hoisted Sigyn to her feet.

She swayed slightly, weak from the tortures she had just experienced. It took her some time to reply, and when she did she raised her head and stared at Thanos.

"What is love?" Sigyn asked, her tone dead and emotionless. Her blue eyes, which once sparkled with life and vibrance, were empty. It was as if the real Sigyn had been sucked out and replaced by a drone. "I know not what it is."

Thanos turned to The Other triumphantly, smirking. "And who do you follow?"

"Thanos. Only Thanos." Sigyn's eyes flickered over to him and Thanos gave a dark chuckle.

"She is ready." Thanos reached over and cupped Sigyn's face roughly. She didn't flinch, but met his gaze steadily. "You will return to Asgard, dearest Sigyn, and bask in the love your family members and friends will bestow upon you. You will then wait for the perfect opportunity and open a portal that will help me and my army to enter Asgard undetected."

"I will, my lord Thanos," Sigyn confirmed.

The Other stepped forward. "My lord, I have thought of an alternative."

Thanos nodded. "Speak."

"I was thinking, my lord, that it would be better to send her to Midgard," The Other began, leaning forward to whisper in Thanos's ear. "She can serve as a distraction and lure the God of Thunder from Asgard. With Odin's son gone, we can easily attack his realm."

"And frame her husband in the process," Thanos added thoughtfully. "That would work. A most excellent suggestion."

The Other tried not to look too pleased as Thanos waved his hand over Sigyn, replacing her worn Asgardian clothes and improving her appearance.

"We have a change of plans, dear Sigyn," Thanos said, circling the goddess like a shark. "You are to take a good portion of the Chitauri and our vastly improved Leviathan to Earth and get the attention of these…Avengers. Kill as many people as necessary, but make sure that you give the Midgardians just cause to summon your brother-in-law from Asgard."

Sigyn nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"Show no mercy, no sentimentality," Thanos continued. "Your presence will certainly distract the God of Thunder and lessen Odin's protection considerably."

During a lull in Thanos's speech, The Other shuffled forward. "My lord, how are we to enter Asgard without her help?"

"We storm the Bifrost, you fool!" Thanos thundered, and The Other flinched. "Thor is our greatest concern. Odin is but an old man; I am certain I can handle _him_."

Thanos turned back towards Sigyn and smirked. "How soon can you leave for Earth, my dear?"

"At once, my lord."

"Then do so."

* * *

_Stark Towers_

Tony reached for some chocolate sherbet balls when his hand closed on empty air. Frowning, he lowered his Armani sunglasses. "Antonia!"

The baby was sitting on the glass coffee table, eating the last of the chocolate. Her mouth was smeared with the rich Belgian chocolate mix Tony loved, and her hands were crushing the last sherbet ball. At the sound of Tony's voice Antonia looked at him, blinking slowly.

"Jesus Christ, you're going to give me a headache," Tony groused, removing his sunglasses and tossing them onto the couch. "Come here."

Tony lifted Antonia and studied her critically for a few seconds before bringing her to the kitchen, where he set her on the counter and wiped her mouth with some wet wipes.

"Tony? What happened?" Pepper entered the kitchen, frowning slightly. She noticed the discarded wet wipes and sighed. "Not again."

"Oh yeah. _Again_," Tony confirmed, taking another box of the sherbet balls. "This is the third time she's done it. How does she even get out of the damn crib?"

"She was…she was in her playpen," Pepper answered, her cheeks flushed.

"Well that explains it. You know how easily she can get out of there." Tony was referring to the playpen one of his employees had bought for Antonia. The wooden gates were rather low, and Antonia could easily climb over the playpen.

"What is this? A playpen for baby ants?" Tony had remarked once he and Pepper had finished assembling it. Tony wanted to get another one, but Pepper said that they should use it to avoid hurting the employee's feelings. During Antonia's first few months the playpen served its purpose, but as she grew older, Antonia was able to climb up and over the playpen. It drove Tony mad.

Antonia reached for Tony, who automatically raised the box of chocolates. Antonia made a soft noise and reached for Tony again.

"Tony, I think she wants you to carry her," Pepper said in hushed tones.

"I think she just wants my chocolate."

"Tony!"

Tony sighed and handed the box to Pepper, who set it on the counter. Antonia didn't pay any attention to the chocolates; rather, she bounced slightly and reached for Tony.

"Gah," Antonia said, and Tony smiled in spite of himself. He picked Antonia up and she made a happy sigh, resting her head on Tony's shoulder. After a few seconds, she was asleep.

Tony glanced at Pepper, who smiled. Tony walked back to the entertainment area, still carrying Antonia. Pepper watched the two, noticing that Tony was now more relaxed when holding the baby.

"Hey Pepper." Steve appeared from one of the guest rooms, his dirty blonde hair slightly tousled and his clothes wrinkled. "Thanks for letting me stay the night."

"No problem, Steve," Pepper answered. "Of course this really isn't my place."

"It's half yours," Steve corrected her. "I'll just be in the kitchen when the others arrive."

Pepper nodded and Steve ducked inside the kitchen. Pepper moved towards Tony and Antonia, who was drooling on Tony's shoulder.

"Did I just hear Steve?" Tony asked her as she sat down beside him.

"Yes. He's just getting some food. Clint and Natasha are on their way, while Bruce is in the labs. He'll be here soon."

Seconds later they heard the door to the suite open, and Bruce Banner came into view. He ran a hand through his curly hair and nodded once at Tony, who raised his hand in welcome. Bruce returned a few minutes later with Steve, who was chewing on a tuna sandwich made from whole wheat bread.

Clint and Natasha arrived shortly after that, and the group waited for Jarvis to transmit Fury's message. Pepper tried to take Antonia from Tony, but she gave a sharp cry when Pepper removed her from Tony's arms.

The other Avengers tried not to grin too widely, while Bruce rubbed a hand over his mouth.

"Avengers," Fury greeted, as Jarvis displayed the holographic image in front of them. "I'm glad to see you're all here."

"Save for Point Break," Tony added, shifting Antonia in his arms slightly.

Fury turned towards him, his eyebrow raised. "Does the child need to be present?"

"She's a baby, Nick," Bruce pointed out. "She doesn't understand what's going on yet."

Fury sighed and pressed on. "We have tracked the message, and it seems to come from one of the planets in our solar system. Agent Maria Hill has yet to pinpoint which planet, but when we do, we may be able to determine where to send your space probe, Stark."

"No problem," Tony assured him.

"Let's just hope we find the message's exact location before its sender decides to visit us," Fury added. "Now I have gotten clearance from the government to access several nuclear weapons in case we experience an attack similar to Loki's. The President does not want a repeat performance, which is why I would like you all to stay there for the moment."

"Sleepover," Tony commented dryly. "Fantastic."

Fury remained on the line for another hour, where he discussed in detail the Avengers' possible plans for attack. Halfway through his discussion, Antonia woke from her nap and crawled towards Bruce. Antonia sat on his lap, untied his tie, and started playing with it.

"Geem," she said, patting a chubby hand on Bruce's cheek. The radiologist smiled at her and held her tiny hand in hers. He could feel the "other man" growl softly, as it savored the attention the baby was giving him and Bruce.

Antonia dangled Bruce's tie off the edge of his lap and peered down to see as it touched the ground. Bruce pulled her back just in case she fell. Fury cleared his throat loudly, and Bruce raised his head.

"Now that you all know what to do in case of an attack, I'd like to focus on the matter of our new facility." Fury turned towards Tony, who stood up. A touch screen descended from the ceiling, and Tony tapped it a few times. It showed a complete blueprint of Stark Towers, including the nearly-complete underground facility that would serve as the Avengers' main base of operations.

"My team has promised me that we would be finished within a month. We're going to have everything we need, from training rooms to top-of-the-line detection and security systems," Tony announced.

Fury nodded, pleased. "Well done, Stark. Until next time, Avengers. And I pray that time comes later rather than sooner."

The transmission ended, and the Avengers all turned towards each other.

"Well that was intense," Tony said. "Now who's up for a drink?"


	8. Chapter 8

**Avenging Angel**

_Midgard_

The city was bathed in darkness when Sigyn and the first of her forces arrived. They had targeted Stuttgart first, a place that Sigyn believed to hold some sort of significance to her. While she did not know why she had chosen this city first, she did not care.

All that mattered to her was to fulfill her master's commands, which was to wreck havoc and destroy everything in the realm.

The first attacks were swift and relentless, as the Chitauri flew throughout the city burning buildings and creating chaos wherever they went. Historical monuments were smashed to pieces, and the Midgardians who dared fight the Chitauri were set aflame.

Sigyn rode the largest Leviathan, watching the destruction as it snaked through the German skyline. Once she was satisfied with the amount of damage she had dealt to the city, she opened another portal and led her army to New Mexico. This was where the portal to Asgard was located, and Sigyn wanted to get the All Father's attention.

A small town in New Mexico felt the brunt of Sigyn's attack; by the time she had called off her forces, nothing was left but smoking ruins.

* * *

_SHIELD Headquarters_

"Another report Sir," Agent Maria Hill said, handing Nick Fury satellite images of downtown Los Angeles. "It's the same army Loki used."

"The Chitauri," Nick Fury murmured. "Who is leading them?"

"We haven't had a glimpse of the army's leader yet. But whoever they are, they are more aggressive. Already they have attacked Stuttgart, New Mexico, Athens, Cairo, Los Angeles, and Toronto."

Nick frowned. "Reactivate the Avengers Initiative. Do we have a way to send a message to the god?"

"Yes. Jane Foster has found a way to connect to the Bifrost."

"Tell her to alert the gods. It looks like we're going to need the God of Thunder."

Nick Fury strode over to the control panel, where several SHIELD agents were monitoring the progress of the Chitauri army. As the images flashed across the screens, Nick sighed. He had received countless of messages from government leaders all over the world. Each message echoed the same sentiment: will SHIELD give them the protection they needed?

"You called, Fury?" Tony Stark's voice filled the control room.

"Tony Stark," Nick began. "You have seen the attacks on the news, I trust?"

"Naturally. I knew it was only a matter of time before you called again. What's our plan?"

"Still working on it," Nick replied, studying a satellite feed of the Chitauri attack in a town in New Mexico. He thought he spotted a familiar figure in the video, but… "The attack has just become global, Stark. We need to locate the leader of the army."

"It's either Loki's boss or someone close to him," Tony said thoughtfully. "Any ideas?"

"Sir, we've just processed these images," Agent Hill interrupted, handing Nick a new sheaf of photographs. "You might want to see this."

"Stark, I'll get back to you." Nick took the photos and flipped through them. As he saw the images of the one leading the Chitauri army, his eyes widened. Nick barely noticed when Stark terminated the call; his attention had been captured on the person in each of the photographs.

A woman with long, blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slim build.

Nick had seen her briefly when she had arrived on that very airship to visit her husband, who was then imprisoned in the Hulk's containment chamber. While Nick had only seen her for a short time, she had a certain beauty about her that was hard to forget.

"It's Loki's wife." Nick glanced at Agent Hill, who nodded. "So she's doing this as some form of revenge? Or did Loki put her up to this?"

"I'm thinking both," Clint Barton said as he entered the room. He was the only member of the Avengers who was on the airship; the others were still in Stark Towers. "Nat told me she seemed very devoted to Loki. It wouldn't surprise me that she would hold a grudge against us."

"Well she's certainly more savage than Loki," Nick commented.

"You know what they say: hell hath no fury than a woman scorned," Agent Hill said with a wry smile.

"Well in her case, it's a woman seeking revenge." Nick paused. "Still, we have to deal with her. Clint, wait for my instructions at Stark's place. I'll have Foster send the god there, and we can figure out what to do."

Clint nodded. "Sure."

Just before Clint left, he turned around. "Do you think Thor was aware of this?"

"I don't know," Nick admitted. "I hope not. If he did, then he may as well have allowed her to attack Earth."

* * *

_New York_

The rising sun was a beautiful sight, but Sigyn could not find it in her to appreciate its beauty. Her heart was encased in ice, her mind a slave to Thanos's power. Sigyn could not even find the strength to fight anymore.

Her memories of Laufey were not enough to withstand Thanos's influence and Sigyn now existed to do his bidding. When she had fulfilled Thanos's wishes, Sigyn prayed for a swift death, so that she may join her husband and son in Valhalla. Part of Thanos's mind control blocked several of her memories, but what she _did_ remember was enough.

_Hel take me_, Sigyn thought, her expression placid. _Take me and bring me straight into the arms of my husband and son_.

Sigyn's companion Leviathan snaked around her ankles, its sharp spine cutting her skin. The wounds healed quickly, and Sigyn stared at it.

"Report."

The Leviathan issued a series of hisses and creaks, which Sigyn understood.

"So our plan is working. I pray my brother-in-law comes, so that I will be able to avenge my Loki's death." Sigyn's eyes narrowed and she turned away from the sunrise.

She had taken residence in one of the apartments in SoHo. Her magic had rendered the Leviathan she was with invisible, and she had instructed the Chitauri to sweep across the country. She had established telepathic links to each of the Chitauri, which gave her the opportunity to see what they were doing and give them any further instructions as she deemed fit.

Sigyn was surprised that the Avengers hadn't appeared yet; they certainly acted fast when Loki attacked Midgard. Sigyn entered the room that served as her private chambers, allowing her a moment of sadness for her parents – _they are lost to me as well_, she thought – Laufey, Loki, and her child.

_If I am given the chance to do one last thing before I join my family in Valhalla, I would use that chance to avenge what these Midgardians had done to my husband_, Sigyn thought, transforming her clothes to the dress she had worn to meet Loki in Stuttgart. _And make them feel the pain I felt when I learned that my family is forever lost to me_.


	9. Chapter 9

**Frame Up**

_Asgard_

The cacophony of voices was the first thing Loki heard as he opened his eyes. The sun was streaming past the gold gossamer curtains, which were rippling in the breeze. The sun had just risen, but Loki was given no time to appreciate its beauty.

_BAM._

"What have you done?"

Odin burst inside Loki's chambers, his expression livid. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

Loki slid out of bed, his armor slipping over his body as he faced the All-Father. "Found another unfounded accusation to throw at me?"

Odin raised his hand as if to hit Loki full across the face, but Frigga jumped in between them.

"No! Odin, please," she begged, placing restraining hands – a mean feat, considering Odin was practically frothing at the mouth in anger – on her husband's shoulders. "We have no proof. Loki couldn't…he wouldn't…"

"There is nothing he wouldn't do, Frigga!" Odin took a step back and glared at Loki, who stood his ground. "I would have thought you would keep her out of your schemes. It seems I was wrong. How could you stand seeing your wife sink into the same level of depravity as you do?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about." Loki blinked slowly, but his heart beat was racing.

Sigyn? Was she here? Why hasn't she visited him yet?

"And you even have the audacity to feign ignorance," Odin seethed. "Sigyn has been spotted in Midgard, continuing your work. She has caused the deaths of no less than a hundred Midgardians!"

"Odin, Loki wouldn't use Sigyn," Frigga insisted, tugging fiercely at Odin's arm. The All-Father glanced at his wife and then at his adopted son. "He wouldn't."

"Then how do you explain her actions? She is the new leader of the Chitauri and rides a massive Leviathan where she carries out her orders, Frigga! Why would she do this if not for her husband?" Odin turned to Loki, whose thoughts were buzzing.

Loki didn't care what accusations the All-Father planned to give him; all that mattered was that Sigyn had escaped Thanos.

"…send Thor to deal with her," Loki heard the All-Father say. "And she too, will face Asgardian justice."

"You would condemn Sigyn?" Loki said incredulously. "She has done nothing-"

"Except follow your orders. If it weren't for you, she would not have been corrupted!" Odin clenched his fists, as if controlling the urge to punch the Frost Giant.

"If you had shown me some form of approval, had you told me who I was from the very beginning, and had you been honest and fair, things would not have turned out this way!" Loki exclaimed, finally losing his temper.

"All I have ever done was to try and gain your approval; to gain your love. But I see now that I will never have it. What Sigyn has done was because she loves me, and because you told her to be loyal to me no matter what. I have experienced more love from her and my unborn child than I ever did with you. And now you want to punish us both? I expected more from a wise king," Loki spat.

It was obvious that Loki had been dying to say those words since learning of his true heritage. Odin looked stunned, as if he hadn't expected that. But he recovered quickly, and Odin had Loki bound and placed back in the dungeon.

Loki went with the guards, but managed to talk to Thor before he left for Midgard.

"Just bring her home safe," Loki said. "I ask nothing for myself, Thor. Just bring her home."

"And in your arms," Thor promised Loki, who felt a sudden surge of affection for his older 'brother'. Despite all that had passed between the two, it was obvious that they still regarded each other as family. "But is it true? Is she doing your work?"

Loki's face hardened. "No. I never told her to do so."

"But it is likely that she looked for Thanos and offered to work for him as some form of revenge," Thor pointed out.

"Whatever her cause, I assure you I had no part in it. Unlike what the All Father believes, I would not stoop that low."

Thor stilled, remembering Freya's vision of Sigyn being tortured by Thanos. Perhaps Loki was right. If there was one thing Thor was certain about Loki, it was that he truly loved Sigyn. He would never follow a course of action that would lead to her being tortured.

Loki looked at his older brother, waiting. Finally Thor nodded and patted Loki's shoulder reassuringly. "I'll bring her home, brother."

It was then when Loki allowed himself to be led away. Thor watched as Loki walked down the hallway, flanked by several guards.

His brother never looked back.

* * *

_New York_

Sigyn smiled slowly as she heard the first reports of the attacks in Italy and New Zealand. The Chitauri army was one step closer to bringing Midgard to its knees. Sigyn had been hearing reports of several leaders who expressed their desire to meet with her and discuss possible options.

Her only reply was to send in more of the Chitauri.

Sigyn didn't want to talk about options; she was here to destroy.

A Chitauri landed gracefully in front of her, and Sigyn raised her eyebrow. "What is it?"

The Chitauri gave off a series of shrill cries, gesturing furiously. A smile slowly formed on Sigyn's face.

Her brother-in-law had arrived.

"Where is he now?"

_In the city._

Sigyn laughed, but her gaze remained cold. "Excellent. Call off your brethren; this is one fight I must do alone."


	10. Chapter 10

**Baby Blues**

_Stark Towers_

"Do you think this is too much?"

Pepper waved a strip of crepe paper away from her face and looked around the room. The entire suite had been transformed into a temple for pink items, including a large, furry pink carpet near the fireplace and a birthday cake with pink frosting.

"Well...I _may_ have gone overboard with some of the details," Tony admitted.

"I'll say." Pepper crossed her arms and tried hard not to smile. "I just hope you didn't hire jugglers and flamethrowers."

"Now that gives me an idea for Antonia's next birthday," Tony declared, grinning. "So where is she? Is Romanoff still choosing the dress?"

"No, Antonia's sleeping. I think she's going to need one, with all the things you have planned for her birthday. Is this what you're going to be like when you have kids?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. What I _do_ know is that the guests are going to be late."

"Most of them live here, Tony. I don't think you have to worry about that."

It was Antonia's first birthday, which also officially marked the day when the Avengers defeated Loki and had him and the Tesseract sent back to Asgard. During those twelve months the rest of the Avengers went about their daily lives, but every so often they returned to Stark Towers to rest and recuperate. Only Natasha and Clint kept communicating with Nick Fury, and they were sometimes even sent on several brief reconnaissance missions all over the globe.

Tony, on the other hand, busied himself with handling Stark Industries and maintaining a business partnership with Bruce Banner. Bruce had become the company's foremost expert on radiology, but he never worked inside the company laboratories. He did, however, become a constant visitor in Stark Towers due to the presence of Antonia.

Bruce would never have admitted it to anyone, but he was noticing a change in the "other man." Prior to Antonia's arrival, Bruce needed to feel constant anger to keep the Hulk from surfacing. It wasn't easy to do, but Bruce had had no choice. But since he met Antonia, the "other man" hardly made an appearance (save for the Tazering incident). It was as if the baby had a calming effect on the Hulk. Whatever the reason, Bruce was grateful for it.

Like Bruce, Tony also felt close to the baby. Although it took him longer to succumb to Antonia's charms, Tony eventually did. He soon forgot the fact that Antonia was the daughter of Pepper's cousin; it certainly felt as if Antonia was born to be _his_. She had dark hair, deep, icy blue eyes, and pale, smooth skin: a lethal Stark combination. Tony wondered occasionally why Antonia's parents never came to collect her, but he quickly dismissed it.

The longer they stayed away, the more time he had with Antonia.

Pepper took down several streamers, while Tony sat on the couch and watched a news report about the latest attack of the Chitauri army.

"Funny. When Loki was here Nick Fury was practically pushing us to battle. Now that the enemy's more relentless, he's giving us time to host a birthday party for a kid," Tony observed. "Seems off."

"Maybe he's gathering enough information before striking. Without the Tesseract, we can't destroy the Leviathan that controls the Chitauri." Bruce stepped into the room, smiling slowly.

Tony whirled around. "Hey Doctor. You've got a point there. But shouldn't we be out there instead of in here?"

"Sounds like you don't want to celebrate Antonia's birthday party, Tony," Bruce said, shaking Tony's hand and setting a gift bag on the coffee table. "Where is she?"

"Broo!" Antonia called as she and Pepper stepped inside the suite. "Broo!"

Bruce's face immediately lit up, and he held his arms out. "Hey Antonia. Happy birthday." To Pepper, he said: "She still hasn't said her first word?"

"Nope. Just a few abstract phrases," Pepper replied. "She should be talking by now."

"Eh, she's probably going to surprise us all with a complicated word," Tony argued. "Like 'Stark'."

Bruce chuckled as Antonia patted his cheek. "Maybe. She's full of surprises."

The rest of the Avengers soon arrived, with Steve carrying most of the packages. Nick Fury, Agent Maria Hill, and Erik Selvig arrived thirty minutes later, which signaled the start of the party. Aside from having Antonia open the presents – she ended up only ripping the wrapping paper off – Tony had the guests participate in several games, such as charades.

Antonia fell asleep halfway through the party, but since she was used to a lot of noise, the adults were able to cap off the event Avengers-style. Tony poured several rounds of drinks and chasers, and Erik set off some fireworks.

It certainly was an unusual birthday party. Then again, most of the guests weren't "normal."

"Thanks for coming, you three," Tony said as Fury, Hill, and Selvig entered the elevator.

"Remember Stark, we need to address this issue at once. We have all the information we need," Fury reminded him. "The longer we put this off, the worse we'll be. I've heard many world leaders are willing to pledge their allegiance to Sigyn."

"Yeah, I know. Why did you put off our attack, Fury?" Tony pressed his palm against the side of the elevator, preventing it from closing. "Normally you'd tell us to head into battle."

Fury smiled thinly and jerked his head towards Antonia, who was climbing onto Steve's lap. "For her. She deserves a fairly decent birthday party – even though all of her guests were adults."

Tony chuckled. "Well thanks Fury. You're one hell of a guy."

"Tomorrow." Fury replied and Tony removed his hand. The elevator doors shut and Tony turned away.

"So we're heading out tomorrow?" Steve clarified, as Antonia stood up, her feet slightly digging into Steve's thighs. "Great. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss being out there."

"Yeah well you're getting your wish, Captain." Tony walked onto the special platform, where the Iron Man suit was automatically fitted to his body.

"Where are you going?" Clint finished the last of his gin.

"I'm going to see if there are any Chitauri left in the city. The attacks were mostly in Tribeca and SoHo."

"I'll come with you," Clint offered, but Tony waved him away.

"No thanks. I can handle them." With a roguish wink, Tony slapped the cover of his helmet over his face and waved at Antonia, who waved back. He then stepped off the platform and flew out into the city.

Clint turned from the balcony and refilled his glass. Normally he didn't drink a lot, but he was going back into the fray. It was nice to feel alcohol in his system.

"How many people have died so far?" Natasha asked softly, coming up behind him. Clint turned his head to look at her. Her once short hair had grown past her shoulders, and he resisted the urge to run his fingers through the fine red tendrils.

"Nearly half a thousand," Clint replied, remembering the rough estimate that he had seen on Nick Fury's reports. "And that was just after a day and a half."

Natasha sighed. She thought that Sigyn's course of action was understandable; after all, Natasha would have done the same for Clint.

Not that she'd willingly admit it to him, of course.


	11. Chapter 11

**First Meeting**

_Stark Towers_

Pepper threw the last of the birthday decorations in the trash bin, while Natasha and Clint carried what remained of the birthday cake into the kitchen. Steve and Bruce were watching over Antonia, who was playing with the wooden blocks that Clint had given her.

"When is Thor coming?" Pepper asked. "I don't think Tony told me."

"Either tonight or tomorrow." Clint checked the number of arrows on his quiver as he spoke. "He might want to spend some time with Jane Foster."

The words were barely out of his mouth when they heard a loud thud, following by the smooth grinding of gears.

"You're late, Point Break," Tony said from the balcony. "The party ended a few hours ago."

"A party? I did not receive an invitation." Thor replied. The two men soon came into view: Tony in his well-pressed slacks and white dress shirt, and Thor in his Asgardian armor. "Comrades. It is good to see you again."

"Hey Thor," Steve called, nodding. "How's Asgard?"

"Peaceful. Although I don't think I can say the same for your realm." Thor smiled at Natasha, Clint, and Bruce, while Tony went over to Pepper and took the reports that Nick Fury had left for them.

"So you've heard?" Tony asked. He browsed through the reports, which included statistics and several facts.

"About Sigyn? Yes, the news has reached us." Thor looked uncomfortable at the thought, and Tony decided to drop the subject.

For a while.

"And what does your little brother say about all this?" Tony slipped the papers into a brown envelope and crossed his arms. "I'm sure she's doing this because of him."

Thor's expression darkened. "Sigyn would never do this willingly."

"But she's devoted to Loki," Natasha insisted. "It wouldn't surprise me to know that she's simply following his orders."

"I understand why you are all determined to think the worst of my brother," Thor said loudly. "He has done nothing but to try and take over your realm, after all. But if there is one thing that I am completely certain of, it is his love for his wife. He would never ask her to do something that would cause her harm."

"That's saying something, considering _she's _the one harming us," Tony quipped.

Thor growled. "Sigyn was abducted by Thanos. Her mother saw how he tortured Sigyn; she may not be doing this of her own accord."

"Whatever you say, Point Break. But whether she's following Loki's orders or not, she has become a threat that we need to deal with. Are you in?" Tony raised an eyebrow and looked at Thor, who nodded slowly.

"I have made a promise to my brother to bring Sigyn safely back to Asgard. I will not back down on that promise."

"So it's settled. Let's get you briefed on the mission, and we can start planning," Tony decided. As he led Thor towards the circle of couches, the God of Thunder noticed the baby sitting on the floor.

"Who is that?" Thor inquired, pointing Mjolnir at Antonia.

"That's Antonia," Pepper replied. "She's my cousin's daughter."

"And would you mind pointing that hammer of yours somewhere else?" Tony said testily.

"Of course." Thor quickly lowered Mjolnir, but his eyes never left Antonia.

Antonia swiped her hand across the wooden buildings she had just created, laughing as they fell to the floor in a heap. She then bounced slightly and turned her head, her blue eyes meeting Thor's light blue ones.

For a moment Thor thought he was staring into Sigyn's eyes; the same eyes that had met his when Sigyn first left for Jotunheim, the eyes that searched his after Loki fell off the Bifrost, and the eyes that stared accusingly at him as he was ejected from the airship.

Sigyn's eyes.

Thor's gaze flicked to the baby's raven black hair, very much like Loki's. Even the way Antonia smiled was familiar: coy, mischievous, and innocent at the same time.

Loki's hair and smile.

_But that's impossible_, Thor reminded himself silently. _Freya could not see the child_.

"Hey, Point Break!" Tony's sharp voice broke through Thor's thoughts, and Thor tore his eyes away from the baby, who was staring thoughtfully back at him. "Cat got your tongue?"

"No. I was just…the child reminds me of Loki and Sigyn," Thor admitted. "She has Sigyn's eyes and Loki's hair."

Tony rolled his eyes. "There are many babies that have black hair and blue eyes, Point Break. Take a walk around the city some time. You'll see many kids that fit that description."

"I suppose you're right," Thor conceded. But he couldn't help but glance back at Antonia as he took a seat on the couch.

Pepper took Antonia in her arms, smiling as the baby cooed softly and ran her hand through Pepper's hair. Thor's words echoed in Pepper's mind, and she wondered if Antonia really was Loki and Sigyn's child.

_I found her here when Loki and Sigyn were both in New York_, Pepper thought. _And Tony did say that they were both last seen here. It's possible Antonia is their daughter. Who else could her parents be?_

Pepper held Antonia close to her, feeling a powerful surge of maternal love for the child.

_I raised her, loved her like she was my own_, Pepper thought with a sad sigh. Antonia squirmed slightly, as if sensing Pepper's distress. She then reached out behind Pepper, towards Thor.

"Ta," Antonia gurgled. "Ta!"

"I'll play with you after I finish, sweetheart," Tony called absently from the couch. "Pepper, would you?"

Pepper nodded. "Let's go, Antonia. Tony needs to discuss some important things with his friends."

"Ta," Antonia repeated, giggling as Thor raised his head and looked at her. A smile slowly formed on the God of Thunder's face.

Pepper and Antonia soon disappeared into one of the rooms, and Thor turned his attention back to the plans Tony and the other Avengers were laying out for him.

His mind, however, kept going back to the child with those brilliantly blue eyes and dark hair.

_If I did not know that Sigyn's child was dead, I would have thought Antonia was that child_, Thor thought. _Loki would have made a great father_.

* * *

The alarm rang, jarring the Avengers from their deep and slightly troubled sleep. Even Antonia, wrapped up in her warm down blanket on the couch, was not spared.

But instead of wailing like any decent Midgardian baby, she simply crawled towards Tony and slapped her hands on his cheeks.

"Ta," she gurgled, grinning as Tony gave a sleepy grunt. "Ta!"

"Antonia," Tony scolded her sleepily. "Jarvis, what's going on?"

"It's Sigyn, Sir," Jarvis responded. "She's…she's approaching the building."

"Christ," Tony swore. He took Antonia in his arms and handed her to a still-sleepy Pepper, who took the baby without question. Tony saw the other Avengers emerge from their respective rooms, all shaking sleep from their eyes.

Only Thor was fully awake; the god had stayed up most of the night. Now he gripped Mjolnir in his hand, glancing every now and then to the black-haired baby that was half-hidden behind Pepper's blonde hair.

Steve and Clint checked their respective weapons, while Natasha checked the clips of her signature pistols.

"Are you ready?" Tony asked the others. "Because if you aren't, that's not my freaking problem."

Just as Tony was about to step onto the platform, they all heard a low, seductive voice.

_Avengers. Just the lovely group of people I have been longing to see._

"Sigyn," Thor breathed.

_Hello, my dear brother-in-law. Have you mourned for your brother?_

Thor frowned slightly. "I do not know what you mean, Sigyn."

_Even now you have the audacity to lie to me. I know what you and Odin did to my husband. Were his actions here in Midgard that atrocious for you to have him killed? To throw his body so unceremoniously into a dark pit?_

"Sigyn, whatever Thanos has fed into your mind, I tell you now that they are all false," Thor began, but Sigyn gave a strangled cry.

_Enough! I have waited for this day to come, Thor Odinson. I challenge you now to single combat. If I lose, I will remove my forces, never to return. _

"And if I lose?" Thor's throat tightened with emotion. Why did Sigyn seem to hate him so much? What changed?

_Thanos_, Thor thought with an inner roar. _I'll kill him for this_.

Sigyn laughed coldly. _Then I will have free reign over Midgard. It was what my husband – and my child – would have wanted._

"No way in hell are we agreeing to those terms," Tony said loudly. "Look lady, you try the same shit your husband pulled, and we'll do the same to you. I normally don't threaten women, but I'm willing to overlook it just this once."

_I do not strike deals with men like you, Anthony Edward Stark. I do recall you threatening my husband with war. Well, now you have it. War has come to all of your doorsteps, Midgardians. Is it not glorious?_

"She's as crazy as her husband," Bruce muttered. "Don't make me pound her to the ground."

"I accept," Thor declared, ignoring the disapproving looks of the Avengers.

There was a pause, and Thor could imagine Sigyn smiling. Finally:

_I shall meet you in the place they call the Upper East Side, brother-in-law. Ten minutes. Take any longer than that, and more people will die. I'm surprised your friends have let me carry on this long. _

Thor turned towards Tony, silently asking the same question. Tony shrugged.

"Ask Fury," was all Tony could say.


	12. Chapter 12

**First Defeat**

_Stark Towers_

"You seriously aren't thinking of going," Steve said, walking up to the God of Thunder. "What if you lose?"

Thor eyed the super soldier. "Do you honestly think I would lose?"

"Don't underestimate her just because she's a woman, Thor," Steve continued. "I know she's family, but…"

"The Earth is under my protection, Steve Rogers. I will not let anyone harm this realm, even if they are my family." Thor strode out onto the balcony, raised Mjolnir, and flew off into the New York skyline.

"I say we follow him and give him some much needed backup, just in case," Natasha suggested.

"I agree." Tony walked onto the platform, where he was fitted into his suit. "Jarvis, send the jet."

"At once, Sir."

Seconds later the Avengers heard the engine of a silver jet, which hovered close to the balcony. The rear ramp slowly lowered, and Steve, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha slipped inside.

"You guys really don't mind me staying inside a small aircraft?" Bruce asked as the jet flew away from Stark Towers.

"Yeah, we don't," Clint assured him, which made Bruce smile slightly.

Natasha took a seat behind the pilot's seat and directed the aircraft close to the Upper East Side.

Meanwhile, Tony took some time with Pepper and Antonia before leaving.

"If things get bad, I want you two to stay in the panic room," he said softly, running a finger down Antonia's cheek. "And wait for me there."

"I know," Pepper assured him. She held Tony's other hand and squeezed it, ignoring the cold chill that came from his suit's metal glove. "Play nice."

Tony smirked while Antonia slapped her hand against his metal breastplate. "I'll do my best. And you, squirt, take care of your Aunt Pepper for me, okay?"

"Ta," Antonia replied, reaching up to touch Tony's rough cheek.

Tony blinked and pressed a kiss to Antonia's forehead. "I'll see you later, kid."

Antonia nodded once and watched as Tony strode onto the balcony and flew off.

"He'll be fine, Antonia," Pepper said softly, brushing some locks of hair from Antonia's face. "Don't worry."

But Pepper wasn't sure who she was reassuring: Antonia, or herself.

* * *

_Upper East Side_

Sigyn strolled past several luxury shops, ignoring the stares that she received from several passers-by. She had called off the Chitauri from attacking most of the major cities; the mechanical beasts were hovering somewhere in the atmosphere, awaiting their orders.

Of course if an aircraft suddenly rammed into one of the Chitauri, that wasn't her fault now, was it?

Sigyn heard the distinct sound of Mjolnir rushing through the air. Seconds later Thor landed on the ground with a loud thud, and a few Midgardians cried out in surprise.

"Thor," Sigyn said, a smirk playing on the corners of her mouth. "Long time no see, my dear brother-in-law."

"Sigyn, stop this madness." Thor straightened himself and looked at her, his eyes pleading.

"Is that what you told Loki on the Bifrost bridge?" Sigyn said quietly. "Before you sent him into that dark abyss? It wasn't enough that you took Odin's love away from him, was it? You just had to take his life as well."

"I never killed Loki, Sigyn! I love him as much as you do!"

"No one loved Loki more than I," Sigyn declared. "All of you failed to see how much he wanted to feel loved…accepted…cared for. I gave him all of those when the rest of you didn't."

Thor could hear the hurt in Sigyn's voice, but her expression remained passive. Even her once lively blue eyes that reminded Thor of the deep blue sea were now lifeless. It was as if he was staring into a chilly wasteland of nothingness.

"Now," Sigyn continued, raising her hand. A deep green ball of energy flowed from her fingertips and rotated in her palm. "You even had to kill him and my child. If it weren't for you and your beloved Avengers, my son would have lived!"

"Thanos tortured you, Sigyn! Whatever words are coming out of your mouth were planted there by him! He has you under his control! Fight it!"

Sigyn's only reply was to send the energy ball hurling towards him. It slammed against his chest with such force that it knocked him onto his back. Sigyn quickly summoned another one, but this time Thor was ready.

Using Mjolnir, Thor blocked the next energy ball that came rushing at him. It flew down the street and smashed against the wall of a building, sending cracks up the wall.

"Is that the best you can do?" Sigyn taunted, as she changed into her Asgardian armor. In her right hand she carried a sharp whip. "I thought you were always up for a challenge."

Thor gritted his teeth and threw Mjolnir at Sigyn. The goddess calmly raised her palm, cushioning the blow of the war hammer. She flicked her wrist and sent Mjolnir flying back to its owner. Sigyn then cracked her whip at Thor, and the sharp blade left a long, thin gash down the god's cheek.

From there the fight became more intense, with Thor taking most of the blows. Sigyn took her own fair share of hits, but for every hit she received, she sent four of her own.

Although Thor was used to fighting Frost Giants, Dark Elves, and other beings from various realms, he found it increasingly difficult to hold his own against Sigyn. Each energy ball she sent hurtling towards him brought an intense, gut-wrenching pain that left him gasping.

_She's making me feel her pain_, Thor realized.

With each energy ball she hurled at him, she was including portions of her hurt, despair, and sadness that were flowing through her body. The longer she did so, she was ridding herself of the emotions that would have kept her from attacking him and was giving him less time to recover.

"Sigyn," was all Thor could say. "Sigyn, please."

"Do you yield?" she hissed.

"No," Thor answered. "Never."

Sigyn sent three more glowing green balls of energy at him; the last one slammed against his head that it made him lose his grip on Mjolnir. The mighty war hammer fell to the ground with a metallic clang. Thor fell to his knees as well, sweat dripping down his face.

He heard Sigyn approach him, her boots crunching on the loose gravel. "Do you yield?"

"I will never yield Earth to you," Thor said, fighting to keep his voice steady. "Sigyn…"

"Then you will live to see it fall." Sigyn raised her hand, summoning the last of her pain. Just before she could hurl it at Thor, a beam of plasma energy slammed into her torso, sending her flying down the street.

Iron Man lowered his hand, the small reactor in his glove shutting off. "Not if you fall first."

Thor groaned and stood shakily on his feet. "I must…get…Loki."

"Are you crazy? You put those two together and they'll take over Earth faster than you can say 'insane'!" Tony saw that Sigyn was slowly getting to her feet, a slight breeze ruffling her long blonde hair. The look in her eyes was deadly, and she was watching Tony and Thor with growing dislike.

"I felt her pain, Tony Stark. She believes Loki to be dead. If I can just show her that she's wrong…"

"What do you want us to do?" Tony asked.

"Keep her at bay long enough for me to take my brother here," Thor answered, picking Mjolnir up.

Tony nodded. "But hurry, Point Break. I think we just pissed her off big time."

Thor raised Mjolnir, summoning a bolt of lightning. As it hit the hammer, Thor flew into the sky, using Mjolnir's power to transport him back to Jane Foster's laboratory.

Tony raised his eyes to the sky before turning his gaze to Sigyn. He had to admit, the goddess was breathtakingly beautiful. But her beauty was marred by the hateful expression on her face.

"Why must you always get in the way?" she muttered.

"I should ask the same of you," Tony shot back. He then propelled himself through the air before Sigyn could take a shot at him, joining the other Avengers that were now busy fighting the Chitauri that Sigyn had summoned.

Her scream of fury followed him as he wound his way through New York, blasting the Chitauri out of the way.

_Those two definitely need some counseling_, Tony thought with a roll of his eyes.

* * *

_Asgard_

The entire realm had erupted in chaos.

With the crown prince gone, most of the Asgardians had turned their focus to Sigyn's attack on Midgard. Even Odin, who hardly failed to keep an eye on the rest of the realms, was distracted.

Thanos and The Other used this to their advantage: their forces burst through the Bifrost and easily overpowered Heimdall, with Thanos binding the mighty gatekeeper in chains of unbreakable metal.

The remaining Chitauri flew through Asgard, creating chaos. Odin had the warriors assemble in the palace, but by then it was too late.

When Thor arrived in Asgard using Jane Foster's portal, all he could see was death and destruction.


	13. Chapter 13

**Unexpected War**

_Asgard_

Odin sat placidly on his throne, the tips of his fingers pressed together. As the images of Sigyn's attack in Midgard flashed in front of their very eyes, Freya whimpered softly and turned her head away.

"All-Father, she does this not of her own accord," she pleaded. "Do not…"

"Her actions are regrettable but undeniable, Freya," Odin interrupted. "Your visions of her torture were obviously a ruse; she was making us blind to her true plans. Hers and Loki's."

Frigga started to protest but Odin silenced her with a look. Below the platform, Sif and the Warriors Three watched the events with growing unease.

They may have not had a close relationship with the goddess, but they knew of her sweet and caring nature. The Sigyn that they saw in the images was very different from the goddess that they had seen for the past century. Sif felt a chill go over her as she watched Sigyn make her way through throngs of Chitauri, clearly basking in the destruction that she was causing.

While the Asgardians were busy monitoring Sigyn's progress through Midgard, Heimdall's attention was diverted to the Bifrost, which had begun spinning fast. Seconds later a powerful blast rocked the area, sending the gatekeeper flying across the bridge.

Before the gatekeeper could recover, Thanos stepped in through the portal and bound Heimdall in long ropes of chains.

"Unbreakable thromium," Thanos said to the surprised Heimdall. "Such a powerful substance – and one of my own creation."

Heimdall growled, but he was silenced as an extra rope of chain looped around his mouth, covering it. The chains were then welded to the floor, preventing Heimdall from moving.

Thanos, The Other, and the Chitauri flowed into Asgard.

And the screams began.

Thanos and The Other immediately headed to the throne room, the former easily catching the mighty Odin by surprise.

"You!" Odin exclaimed, reaching for his staff. Thanos waved his hand and the staff flew across the throne room and into his outstretched hand.

"Me." Thanos smiled slowly as he made his way down the room. The Other and several Chitauri followed Thanos, attacking the warriors that flowed past the marble pillars in an attempt to protect their king. Thanos found it amusing how easy it was for him and his army to infiltrate Odin's mighty kingdom.

But then again, the Asgardians _were_ too distracted by Sigyn's attack.

Odin wasn't a king who gave up too easily; he unsheathed a sword that he had placed beside his throne and brandished it at Thanos. "Leave Asgard, Thanos, and I will not seek you out."

"Drop the sword, Odin," Thanos said in a poor imitation of Odin's lofty voice. "Or I will cut your beloved queen's throat."

With a flick of his wrist, Thanos summoned Frigga from her place behind Odin: the blonde woman shrieked as Thanos clamped a hand on her shoulder and he held a knife to her throat. A thin red line instantly formed on her skin and a drop of blood slid down her throat.

"Now, Odin. This knife is quite sharp; I would hate to have to spill her blood accidentally," Thanos continued with a sinister smile.

Odin hesitantly lowered the sword, but his eye never left Thanos. "How did you get past Heimdall?"

"It was easy, really," Thanos answered, holding the knife. "With your gatekeeper focused on your beloved Sigyn, it was not that difficult to control the Bifrost and have it open a portal for me and my army to enter."

"So Sigyn is under your-"

"Under my command, yes," Thanos confirmed. "Did you honestly think it was Loki who told her to attack Midgard? No no no, All-Father. I merely used the Goddess of Fidelity as a ruse. I knew you all loved her so much, that to see her commit such acts would have been an abomination – and an irresistible topic. And I was right."

"You framed Loki?" Frigga gasped.

Thanos chuckled. "Of course. I hit two birds with one stone: not only did I distract you _and_ send your son to Midgard, but I also made you take Loki's powers. Powers that could have broke through my defenses that surrounded my hideout, which your older son nearly breached."

Odin ground his teeth. Gods, how wrong and blind had he been?

_If I live through this, nothing I say or do will ever make up for the things I have said or done to my son, Loki,_ Odin thought. _Loki, Sigyn, forgive me._

But for the first time in his long life, Odin wasn't sure he wanted to be forgiven. As Thanos continued to talk about how he was going to enjoy seeing Odin suffer, the All-Father whispered an incantation.

'_Powers that were taken, seek out the son that I have forsaken.'_

* * *

Loki paced the dungeon, running a hand through his unruly hair. He hadn't had a proper bath since the All-Father had him thrown back in his cell – nor had he had a decent meal since learning of Sigyn's attack.

Even now the tray of food lay untouched. Loki walked towards the door and then back, stopping in the middle of the cell as he heard the screams start.

Loki rushed to the door and peered out at the two guards who were watching over him. The two looked shifty, as if they were unsure whether to remain guarding their prisoner or checking to see if they were needed.

"We are under attack," Loki said, fighting to remain calm. "The All-Father would certainly need every able-bodied warrior in the palace. Fight for him!"

The guards looked at each other and then at Loki. Finally one of them said: "Stay here," and the two of them left. Their boots echoed down the passageway, and Loki quickly went to work.

He had learned many tricks over the years, and not all of them required magic. During one of Freya's visits Loki had managed to snag one of her hairpins without her noticing. He had kept this hairpin on him at all times, just in case he would need to slip free of his shackles or…

His dungeon.

Loki now slipped the hairpin into the keyhole, smiling as he heard the lock pop. He pushed the door open and stepped onto the passageway, finally making his way out and into the palace.

Loki heard the familiar whine of the Chitauri as they flew around the palace, and he knew that Thanos and The Other had arrived.

_I'll kill them for torturing my wife_, Loki thought furiously. _I'll rip their innards out and feed them to Sleipnir._

But Loki was aware that he no longer had his powers, and he nearly punched the wall in frustration. He was free, but he might as well hand himself over to Thanos for all the usefulness he had.

"Brother?"

Loki frowned. Now he was even imagining Thor's voice. He was certainly going insane.

"Brother!" Thor laid a hand on Loki's shoulder and spun him around. "How did you free yourself from your prison?"

"I have many tricks up my sleeve, Thor," Loki replied evenly. "And what are _you_ doing here? I thought you were supposed to bring Sigyn home."

"I was, but she nearly defeated me," Thor admitted. "That's why I returned; I'm hoping that when she sees you, she'll be convinced to stop her attacks and come home."

"Now that you're here you can help stop Thanos. They are laying waste to the realm!" Loki started walking away from Thor when he grabbed Loki's wrist.

"And how did you know Thanos was here?" Thor frowned. "Did you let them through?"

"Whatever answer I give you, you won't believe me regardless," Loki replied.

Thor's eyes narrowed. "That is not the answer I seek."

"Then be content with it, for it is the only answer you will ever receive."

"Loki, if you-"

"Thor!"

The God of Thunder reluctantly turned away from Loki to see Sif and The Warriors Three herding a group of frightened Asgardians down the hallway, Freya among them. The goddess was caught in the midst of the crowd, so she was unable to see her son-in-law as she was swept down the hallway.

"Thor, thank the gods you're here!" Sif hurried to Thor while Volstagg and Hogun led the Asgardians down another hallway. "Thanos and The Other have your mother and father; we barely got these people out of the throne room in time!"

"And Loki?" Thor jerked his head towards his younger brother, who was struggling to free himself from Thor's grasp.

"Thanos used Sigyn as a distraction," Fandral replied. "To summon you from this realm and to frame Loki."

Thor released his brother at these words. "So Loki is innocent."

Sif nodded, although she did so hesitantly. "But not of his former crimes in Midgard."

"What do we do now, my prince?" Fandral twirled his sword in anticipation.

"Secure the citizens and rescue my father."

"How do you propose to do that? In case you didn't notice, there are hundreds of Chitauri!" Sif declared, the blades of her two edged staff glinting in the light.

It was then when Loki, who had been mysteriously silent until that point, spoke.

"The Casket."


	14. Chapter 14

**The Casket**

_Asgard_

Loki stood silently to one side as his older brother, Sif, and Fandral discussed what to do. He could slowly feel himself growing stronger, as if his magic was filling his entire being.

_Impossible_, Loki thought. _The only way I can recover my abilities is if Odin returns them to me_.

Loki waved his hand over the floor, summoning an image of his wife on the smooth surface. Almost instantly Sigyn's face appeared, and Loki's eyes widened.

He barely noticed when Thor released him; all Loki could think of was the fact that he now had his powers back.

"Secure the citizens and rescue my father."

"How do you propose to do that? In case you didn't notice, there are hundreds of Chitauri!" Sif gripped her staff tight.

"The Casket." Loki raised his head and looked at Thor, Sif, and Fandral. "I can wield it."

Loki expected his brother to refuse, and he was right.

"The All-Father would never let you wield the Casket, brother," Thor answered, his eyes narrowing. "What if you use it to take over Asgard again?"

"The All-Father has given me my powers back," Loki revealed. He transfigured Sif's staff into a python, smirking with satisfaction as the female warrior gasped and threw the snake to the floor. "He must have realized that I do not intend to do any more harm."

"The Casket is a powerful relic, my prince," Fandral reminded Thor. "If he has it in his grasp-"

"You can kill me if I betray you, brother," Loki interrupted, shooting Fandral a scathing look. "All I want is to bring my wife home and have my revenge on the one who dared lay violent hands on her. That's it. My dreams of subjugation are over. I just want Sigyn home."

Thor stood still, thinking. Sif, Fandral, and Loki waited with bated breath, the latter becoming increasingly uneasy as the minutes ticked by.

Finally…

"I'll agree to your plan, Loki," Thor said, pointing Mjolnir at the God of Mischief. "But if you attempt to join forces with Thanos or rule Asgard, I will kill you."

Thor's voice nearly faltered at the last four words, but he managed to steady himself. In truth, Thor was unsure if he could really kill Loki, no matter what his brother had done in the past.

Loki immediately headed to the lower chambers, where the Casket of Ancient Winters was kept. As a Frost Giant, Loki knew he could hold the Casket without suffering major damages. He just hoped that the Jotunn magic that was contained in the Casket was enough to stop Thanos and The Other.

A new Destroyer met the group as they neared the Casket. Thor raised Mjolnir, silently telling the Destroyer to back down. The mechanical giant waited a few seconds before stepping back into its alcove.

"Loki," Thor said. It was both a warning and a reminder of what Thor would do if Loki dared to use the Casket for another purpose than stopping Thanos.

The God of Mischief walked up to the Casket, hesitating for the barest of seconds before wrapping his fingers around the handles. Loki felt his skin prickle and the Jotunn markings form on his body and face.

Sif inhaled sharply as Loki turned towards her; his eyes were as red as rubies, his skin was blue as sapphires. A slight chill seemed to emanate from Loki, but it wasn't because of the evil that they all thought flowed within him.

It was his Jotunn magic.

His heritage.

His birthright.

Loki stared down at the Casket once more, but found that he no longer wished to use it to rule. He only wanted to defeat Thanos – torture him, to be exact – and bring Sigyn home.

"Let's show Thanos what it means to mess with the Asgardians!" Thor roared, raising Mjolnir. Sif and Fandral yelled their battle cries, and the three surged out of the chamber and into the hallway. Loki hurried after them, waving his hands over the Casket to conceal it from the Chitauri.

It was clear that the battle had gone ill: the hallways were choked with the Chitauri, and a Leviathan had even rested its head on one of the balconies. They all turned at the sound of Thor, Sif, Fandral, and Loki's footsteps.

Loki shot powerful beams of ice at the mechanical monsters, turning them into "Chitauricicles" in milliseconds. Thor, Sif, and Fandral used their respective weapons to lop off the heads of the Chitauri that stood in their way.

The four burst into the throne room, but not one of them was winded. The Other was standing just beyond the doors; thanks to Loki's quick reflexes he turned the Casket on The Other before the latter could do any damage.

"Thanos!" Thor's voice boomed through the throne room.

Thanos was standing near the throne: Frigga was lying at his feet, her mouth gagged and her wrists and ankles bound by the same chains that once held Sigyn. Odin, on the other hand, was sitting beside his queen. He was unconscious.

"Ah, Thor Odinson," Thanos said, grinning widely. His gaze flicked over to Loki, who was still grasping the Casket. "So the Tesseract isn't the only power source your father is keeping. My, how selfish he is."

Loki quickly waved his hands over the Casket, using his magic to conceal it once more. Thanos's mouth twitched and he raised his hand to reveal the Tesseract.

"Leave Asgard, Thanos," Thor threatened, raising Mjolnir. "Leave while you still can."

"You have the gall to threaten me? You, the god who was resoundingly defeated by my dear Sigyn?" Thanos laughed. "If I did not know you were defeated by a woman, I would have taken your threats seriously."

Thor growled. "Enough!"

Thanos's smile was cold. "Oh yes. Enough talk."

With that, he raised the Tesseract and blasted Thor, Sif, and Fandral out of the throne room. He then slowly turned to Loki. "Now. Give me the Casket."

"Never," Loki answered. He knew what was to come, what Thanos was going to do. He could feel his entire body tense up, as if anticipating the fight.

Thanos was not a man to wait: he quickly used the Tesseract to shoot an energy beam at Loki, who managed to dodge it. Loki then cast illusions of himself throughout the throne room and used this as a diversion to wrest the Tesseract from Thanos.

"No!" Thanos swung a fist at Loki's clones, who all laughed the same humorless laugh. The true Loki ran to the doors of the throne room, where he nearly collided with Volstagg and Hogun, who were both trying to rouse Thor, Sif, and Fandral.

Before the hairy warrior could shout his name, Loki shoved the Tesseract into Volstagg's hands.

"Take it," Loki instructed, glancing behind him. Thanos was still swinging his fists and shooting down Loki's clones; it would be a matter of seconds before Thanos would realize that Loki wasn't in the throne room. "Hide it in the chamber where the Casket is kept. I'll hold him off."

Volstagg blinked but quickly recovered. He nodded and waved to Hogun, who was standing behind him. The two warriors sprinted down the hallway, the Tesseract clutched in Volstagg's hands.

Loki entered the throne room just as Thanos sent a powerful telekinetic wave, which caused the clones to vanish. It also sent Loki flying across the throne room, and he collided painfully with a marble pillar.

"There you are." Thanos strode towards Loki, who scrambled to his feet. Thanos raised a huge fist and smashed it against Loki's face, sending the god reeling. "Give me the Casket and the Tesseract, boy!"

"Never," Loki answered, which earned him another powerful punch to the face and the stomach. He doubled over in pain, and he dropped to his knees. It was then when Thanos used the same mental torture techniques that he used on Sigyn, but Loki refused to scream.

_Gods, is this what my wife went through?_ he thought, as the rivers of fire ran up and down his veins, forcing him to shed his Jotunn appearance. This thought gave Loki enough strength to shoot an energy disc at Thanos, giving Loki enough time to get to his feet and scramble behind a pillar to get his bearings.

But it wasn't enough.

Thanos flew at Loki again, beating the god within an inch of his life. Frigga screamed from behind her gag, but no one came to help.

"Give me the Casket, Laufeyson," Thanos snarled, lifting Loki by the throat. "Or you die."

Loki looked deep into Thanos's eyes. "No."

"So be it." Thanos released his hold on Loki, who dropped to the floor. Blood seeped from a hundred wounds all over his body, and despite his healing abilities Loki felt weak and sore all over.

_Sigyn_, Loki thought. _Sigyn_.

The thought of his wife gave him enough incentive to try and attack Thanos, but Loki was easily knocked back on the floor. It was then when Thanos towered over Loki, summoning a powerful energy ball.

"Time to die."

Loki stared up at the face that had caused his wife so much pain. Hatred was etched on every inch of Loki's face, and if he just had the strength, he knew he would have rushed at Thanos again and again.

_Use the Casket._

Freya's voice came to him so suddenly that Loki nearly forgot that she was still in the palace.

_Use it._

Loki shook his head; if he so much as summoned the Casket, Thanos would take it and all would be lost.

The energy ball glowed in Thanos's palm. Loki took a deep breath.

_Sigyn._

And Thanos brought his hand down.


	15. Chapter 15

**Blue Eyes, Blue Skin**

_Stark Towers_

Sigyn flew up forty-something floors, landing softly on the balcony of Tony Stark's rooftop suite. After nearly defeating her brother-in-law, Sigyn had unleashed the Chitauri on the city and managed to escape Tony's attack.

Now she headed to Stark Towers, which she believed served as the Avengers' main headquarters. If she could dismantle their base of operations, the group would certainly be at a disadvantage.

Besides, this was where she lost her child and her husband. It only seemed fitting to destroy a place that held so many painful memories.

Sigyn shook her hair back and adjusted her cape. Nobody was inside the suite, so Sigyn quickly strode down the balcony and inside the room. A gust of cold wind hit her in the face as she slipped inside the suite.

"Intruder," a disembodied voice announced.

Sigyn flicked her wrist as the security system activated; the heavy guns bent backward and crumpled like they were pieces of paper. Sigyn studied the entire suite, her eyes finally resting on the elevator.

Sigyn had originally planned to enter the building through the main lobby, but her fight with Thor had drained her of some of her energy – and her emotions. Now only an ounce of the pain she felt flowed within her, and she planned to use it to destroy Stark Towers.

She certainly didn't want to waste it fighting SHIELD agents or Stark's men.

A soft, gurgling sound reached Sigyn's ears. It seemed to be coming from the circle of couches near the fireplace. Curiosity got the better of Sigyn and she stepped closer.

It was a baby.

The child had raven black hair and pale skin, and was hunched over a pile of wooden blocks. Sigyn could feel her heartbeat speed up, and she frowned. As she took a step forward, her boot thudded softly on the floor. The sound captured the baby's attention and it slowly turned towards her.

Sigyn gasped; the gesture - the movement - was so familiar that it reminded her of her husband. The way the baby turned – Sigyn could now see vivid blue eyes, similar to her own – was the same way Loki turned _his_ head.

For a moment Sigyn forgot why she was there; the baby had her attention completely. She took a step back, clutching her heart. Part of her mind was struggling now, struggling against the mental shackles that bound her.

* * *

Antonia stared at the new face behind her. Deciding she wanted to see this ethereal creature that had come out of nowhere, she slowly got to her feet and faced the woman.

_Who are you?_ Antonia asked silently, but her mouth only managed to form the word: "Wha?"

The woman blinked, as if Antonia had just said a complex word. Antonia wet her lips and reached for the woman.

Antonia found it frustrating that she was still unable to speak; she had wanted to talk to Tony, Pepper, Bruce, and the rest of the Avengers since she was a month old. But something prevented her from exhibiting her true powers. Antonia didn't even know what her powers were; she only knew that there was something inside of her that was bursting to come out.

"Wha?" Antonia asked again, smiling. This woman fascinated her, and for some reason Antonia felt intimately linked to her. Antonia wobbled forward, keen on closing the distance between the two.

"No," the woman whispered, tears falling down her cheeks. "Gods."

Antonia paused, unsure of what to do. The urge to comfort the woman continued to nag at her, but Antonia knew that she shouldn't be so pushy.

The woman was now leaning against the glass sliding doors, and Antonia was afraid that the woman would end up breaking the glass.

"Ga," Antonia murmured softly, in an attempt to reassure the woman that everything would be alright. Once Tony arrived Antonia knew he would help her. He was a hero, after all.

Antonia was aware that Tony and Pepper weren't her real parents; she had always known that she was different. Even at a very young age, Antonia was acutely aware of what happened around her. She could have shown the rest of the Avengers that she certainly was no normal baby, but there seemed to be a protective shield around her.

It prevented her from speaking, exercising her powers, and basically showing her foster family that she was definitely in league with them. There _were_ times when Antonia was able to teleport herself from her crib to the cabinet – especially when she was craving Tony's chocolate sherbet balls – but it never lasted longer than ten seconds.

Antonia wondered if it was her father or her mother who cast the protective shield around her. She could only remember flashes of blonde hair, a soft, soothing voice, and a cool touch that comforted her and made her feel loved.

These were the only solid memories Antonia had of her real parents, and she had clung onto them like a leech. She wanted to run her fingers through her mother's hair and feel the warmth of her father's embrace.

Antonia looked up at the woman again, noting that she had long blonde hair. A stab of hope flowed through Antonia.

_Maybe _she's _my mother_, she thought.

Antonia knew she was blindly grabbing at straws, but once the thought came to her it refused to leave. Antonia became so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she failed to see Bruce Banner enter the suite.

* * *

Sigyn's mind was a mess.

On one end, she could sense Thanos's influence within her.

The evil within.

On the other end was the real Sigyn, one who wouldn't have even dreamed of doing the things she had done for the past few days. She mourned for the loss of her husband and child, but she did not blame the Midgardians.

Now these two personalities clashed; an internal struggle.

Sigyn didn't know why she was having this now, but it seemed as if the sight of the child brought back memories that Thanos had tried so hard to keep from her.

The memory of her wedding to Loki, the moment she told her husband that they were going to have a child, and the intense longing for Loki that she had felt as a child. Whatever iota of pain and emotion she had left in her body was enough to send her spiraling into a mental abyss.

Sigyn knew that if she fell – if she gave in – Thanos would win. Even now the sight of the baby gave her strength that she didn't know she still possessed.

_Why am I reacting like this? What does that baby mean to me? My child is dead!_

_But the way she moves, the way she turns her head…even her eyes…_

_Irrelevant. Many children could pass for your own!_

_But why do I feel drawn to her? Why do I feel this intense connection for a child I only met a few minutes ago? _

_Your child is dead!_

"No," Sigyn whispered as the child moved forward. "Gods."

_Finish her and continue with your mission. Loki is waiting for you in Valhalla. Finish your task and join him._

But Sigyn couldn't find it in her to kill the child. Blue eyes met, and Sigyn gasped as something powerful was passed between them. Sigyn pressed against the sliding doors, feeling the cool glass on her skin. The baby continued to move forward, and each step she took made Sigyn feel weaker.

Just as the baby reached up and touched Sigyn's leg, the elevator doors opened.

Bruce Banner stepped into the suite, saw Sigyn and Antonia, and almost immediately transformed into the Hulk.


	16. Chapter 16

**With a Touch**

_Stark Towers_

Bruce Banner had left the fight after Tony had asked him to check on Pepper and Antonia. After the "other man" left, Bruce had hastily changed into jeans and one of Tony's shirts before heading back to Stark Towers.

The battle was fiercer than ever before; Fury had even authorized the use of missiles on the Chitauri that flowed into the city. The Avengers had their hands full fighting the creatures, and the President was even debating the use of nuclear weapons (again) on the city.

The entire Chitauri army seemed to have converged in the city, but their leader was nowhere to be found.

Bruce sighed and ran a hand through his curly hair. He just hoped Sigyn wouldn't have the guts to try and harm Antonia; he wasn't sure if Tony would like having his entire rooftop suite trashed.

Bruce's fears proved true when the elevator doors opened. Almost immediately he saw Sigyn standing near the sliding doors, with Antonia at her feet.

The "other man" reacted at once, and for the first time since being affected by the gamma radiation, Bruce didn't fight it. He wanted to turn into the Hulk.

Sigyn's eyes widened at the sight of him.

_Good_, Bruce thought, feeling the strength and rage fill him completely. _Let her be scared. She should be_.

To his surprise, Sigyn picked Antonia up and held the baby close to her. One of Antonia's feet hit Sigyn's stomach, and the goddess gasped.

Sigyn swayed on the spot for a moment, and Bruce feared that she would drop Antonia. Sigyn managed to gain control of herself and held Antonia tighter to her body.

The Hulk growled and rushed at Sigyn, with the intention of wresting Antonia away from the woman. Just before the Hulk could reach either of them, Antonia turned towards him, smiled, and said something none of them expected her to say.

* * *

Sigyn looked down at the child, feeling beads of perspiration trickle down the sides of her face. The baby was smiling innocently at her, and when she reached her arms up at her, Sigyn nearly took the child in her arms.

It was then when the elevator doors opened and Bruce Banner stepped out. His rage was inexplicably activated upon seeing her, and Sigyn's first thought was to protect the child.

She knew what the Hulk could do in one of his rages, having seen its effects on the Chitauri. Sigyn didn't want the child to be harmed, and so she bent down and carried the child.

As she did so, the baby accidentally kicked her in the stomach, and Sigyn's heart nearly stopped.

_Silly, but the kick reminded me of the time when a baby moved within me, demanding to feel more of its mother and father. This child…no. My child was dead. _

At the back of her mind, Sigyn felt Thanos's influence shatter. Memories of feeling her child move within her took over, finally erasing the last of the mental shackles that bound Sigyn to Thanos. The love of a mother for her child was so powerful, so…_good_, that not even Thanos's mind control could suppress it.

The longer Sigyn held the child in her arms, the more Sigyn felt like her old self. But the energy she spent mentally struggling at Thanos's mind control finally got the best of her, and she nearly lost her hold on the child.

Sigyn could see the Hulk quickly converge on her, but she knew she did not have the strength to fight him and carry the child at the same time. Sigyn rested her cheek against the child's head, inhaling the scent of baby powder and lavender.

The baby shifted slightly turning her head towards the Hulk. All it took was one word.

One word that changed Sigyn's life forever.

* * *

Antonia giggled as the woman carried her, but her giggle died in her throat as she felt the protective shield that usually enveloped her dissolve. Thousands of thoughts suddenly entered Antonia's mind: a tall, white-haired man with a black eyepatch, a blonde woman with kind eyes, four mighty warriors that stood beside each other inside a golden room, and a dark-haired, green-eyed man wearing green and gold armor.

As Antonia used her telepathic ability for the first time in her life, the Hulk growled from behind her. The familiar sound made Antonia turn around and, seeing the Hulk's green skin, remembered the name the woman associated with the dark-haired man in the green and gold armor.

"Loki!" Antonia said confidently.


	17. Chapter 17

**Jotunnette Junior**

_Stark Towers_

"Loki!"

The word echoed inside the suite, causing the Hulk to freeze in his tracks.

_How the hell did she know about Loki?_ Bruce thought, while the Hulk grunted. The green beast saw that the goddess was looking just as surprised as he felt, and he closed the gap between them. The Hulk gently took Antonia from Sigyn, cradling her close to his chest.

Sigyn took several deep, shuddering breaths, finally sinking slowly to the floor. She whimpered softly and tears streamed down her cheeks.

The sight of Sigyn's tears seemed to agitate Antonia, because she started squirming in the Hulk's grip. When the Hulk refused to set her down on the floor, Antonia wailed and screamed, her small fists pounding at the Hulk's meaty arms.

Antonia was usually well-behaved, and the sight of seeing her throw a temper tantrum was new, even to the Hulk. But he refused to let her go; Sigyn was probably faking her weakness just to get the child.

Antonia continued to wail and reach towards Sigyn, her cries becoming louder and more urgent with each passing second.

Before their very eyes, Antonia's pale skin slowly turned ice blue, and her deep blue eyes turned into a fierce shade of red.

Instead of a "normal" looking baby, the Hulk was holding…

* * *

"A Jotunn," Sigyn whispered. She had raised her eyes towards Antonia – for that was the child's name – as she began to squeal. She had seen the baby slowly transform into a little Frost Giant, and it only served to confirm what Sigyn already knew.

Antonia was her daughter.

Hers and Loki's.

The revelation that her child was alive – and safe – gave Sigyn the strength to stand up and face the Hulk.

"Give her to me," she said softly. "She's my child."

The Hulk frowned and looked at Antonia, who had stopped crying the moment Sigyn approached them. For a second the two adults stared at each other. Antonia solved their dilemma by finally wriggling out of the Hulk's grasp and sliding into Sigyn's arms.

To feel her child in her arms – not the son she had supposed – was enough to send fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. Sigyn kissed the top of Antonia's head and rocked her back and forth.

"Mother," Antonia whispered, and Sigyn pulled back in surprise. She waited for a few more seconds to see if Antonia was going to say anything else, but the baby simply buried her head in Sigyn's hair and clung to Sigyn's neck.

_Never let me go, Mother_, Antonia's voice said inside her head.

_I will never let you go, my love_, Sigyn assured her. Apparently Antonia had some form of telepathic ability, which explained why she learned Loki's name: she was able to access her mother's memories and simply repeated the name that was prominent in Sigyn's mind.

Mother and daughter stood there, with the latter slowly turning back to her normal appearance. Sigyn noticed that although the Hulk had held Antonia while she was in her Jotunn form, he didn't have any traces of frostbite.

Antonia's Asgardian lineage was more than enough to cancel the chilling effects of her Jotunn heritage.

_Mother?_ Antonia asked silently.

_Yes?_

_Could you remove the shield you cast around me? I haven't been able to talk because of it._

Sigyn paused, wondering what her daughter was talking about. Then she remembered: she had placed a shield around Antonia as they were both thrown back by an explosion. She couldn't believe that the shield was still in place.

Sigyn used her magic to detect the shield that was wrapped around Antonia: it was a faint blue bubble that surrounded the child, shielding her from those that meant to do her harm. Slowly she eased the magic that protected her daughter – now that Sigyn had located her child, no one in the nine realms would hurt her little Antonia ever again.

* * *

Bruce felt his anger slowly ebb away, and he transformed back to his usual appearance. Antonia noticed his transformation, and she tapped Sigyn on the shoulder.

"Mother, Bruce needs some clothes."

Bruce blushed deeply and held one of the pillows from the nearby couch to cover himself. It was then when he realized that Antonia had actually said a complete sentence, and it nearly threw him off guard.

"You…you can talk?" Bruce said, his eyes wide.

Sigyn flicked her wrist and Bruce felt clothes appear over his body.

"I always could, Bruce," Antonia replied with a smile. She had a soft, breathy voice that reminded Bruce of wind whispering through tree branches. "It's just that my mother's protective shield stopped me from talking."

"How do you even know she's your mother?" Bruce frowned slightly, and Sigyn held Antonia closer to her.

"I've seen her memories. Some of them are familiar to me, such as the pain she went through when she gave birth to me in Tony's lounge. That was where Pepper found me, you know," Antonia revealed. Bruce was also able to detect a slight aristocratic twang in Antonia's tone, which she most likely inherited from her parents.

"Thank you for taking care of her," Sigyn added. "I…I don't know how I can repay you."

"Why don't you start by putting her down?" Tony said sharply from the balcony. He had his repulsor ray pointed at Sigyn and his expression was hard. He was soon joined by Steve, Clint, and Natasha, who had all jumped off the jet.

"Tony!" Antonia called, and Tony's eyes widened.

"Jesus Christ, she can talk?" Tony nearly lowered his repulsor ray and glanced at the other Avengers, who all looked startled. "You can talk?"

"Of course!" Antonia giggled. "Please don't hurt my mother, Tony. She didn't mean to."

Tony hesitated for a few seconds before lowering his repulsor ray. "Where's Pepper?"

"She said she was going to get the panic room ready," Antonia answered. It was then when Pepper appeared, holding a small duffel bag. She stopped short at the sight that greeted her: the Avengers clustered around Sigyn, who was holding Antonia.

"Hi Pepper," Antonia greeted, waving at the woman whom she had come to consider as her foster mother.

Pepper swayed slightly on the spot, putting her hand on the side of her head. "How…am I hallucinating?"

"No you're not," Antonia continued, grinning. She had an impish grin, one that reminded Sigyn of her father, Loki.

"Look before we do anything else, do you think you can help us stop the Chitauri?" Steve said loudly, gesturing to the sky outside.

Sigyn looked down at Antonia, who nodded. Sigyn walked towards Bruce, handing Antonia to him. "Take care of her."

Bruce nodded wordlessly, while Antonia reached up and touched her mother's face. With a determined gleam in her eye, Sigyn turned away from her daughter (the gesture took considerable effort, since Sigyn was very reluctant to leave her child again) and went up to Tony. "Follow me."

Together, the Goddess of Fidelity and the Avengers went out into the city, but this time working as one.


	18. Chapter 18

**Picking Up the Pieces**

Thor's head was spinning. The impact had knocked the breath out of him and he was ashamed to learn that he had been pummelled unconscious.

Now he groaned and sat up, noting that Sif and Volstagg were still lying on the floor, their eyes closed. Thor heaved himself to his feet and shook Sif and Volstagg awake. Thor could hear the sounds of battle coming from the throne room, and he knew that Loki probably needed their assistance.

As much as Loki loathed admitting it, he was not as good a fighter as his older brother.

Sif and Volstagg slowly got to their feet, but Thor sprinted ahead of them into the throne room. He saw Thanos summon a powerful energy ball and held it above Loki, who was lying on the floor. Dozens of wounds marked the exposed skin on Loki's body, and his face was a quilt of black and blue bruises.

Thanos was demanding the God of Mischief to hand over the Casket, but Loki was stubbornly refusing.

With an angry growl, Thanos raised his hand even higher and brought it down.

Thor threw Mjolnir at Thanos's arm, knocking it to the side with enough force to break it. The energy ball flew to the other side of the throne room, smashing against a marble pillar.

Thanos whirled around in surprise as Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand. "You!"

"Me." Thor threw Mjolnir at Thanos again, hitting the interdimensional being in the chest. It slammed into Thanos's chest with bone-crushing force, and he was thrown across the room. Thor quickly closed the gap between them, but Thanos summoned another energy ball and threw it at Thor.

Thor doubled over in pain, while Thanos grasped the side of the war hammer and attempted to pry it off of his body. Mjolnir remained firmly planted on Thanos's chest, slowly crushing his ribs. He gasped and struggled even fiercely, his eyes locking onto Thor's.

"That…is the last time…you will ever…touch my family," Thor said in between breaths. Thor turned his gaze towards Loki, who was still unmoving. Thor limped his way towards his younger brother, kneeling beside him. "Loki."

Loki's eyes slowly opened and the Frost Giant moaned. "Sons of Nornheim," he breathed.

Thor chuckled and grasped his brother's hand. "Save your strength, brother. We will-"

Thor was cut off in mid-sentence as one of the Chitauri, having been summoned into the throne room by Thanos, rammed into him. Thor growled and pushed the Chitauri off of him; the alien skidded on the marble floor before the God of Thunder planted his meaty fist on the Chitauri's face.

Thanos screamed loudly and Thor turned. By now Sif and Volstagg were in the throne room, their weapons clashing as they fought the Chitauri that now flowed into the area. Thor made his way towards Loki once more, raising his hand to summon Mjolnir.

But the god forgot one crucial detail: Thanos had been trapped under the war hammer, but now he was free. His chest had a massive dent on it, and blood flowed freely from the wound.

"You…idiot," Loki wheezed. Thor ignored Loki's jibe and swung his hammer at Thanos, but the powerful interdimensional being dodged it easily. Thanos summoned a powerful energy ball and slammed it into Thor's chest, sending him flying across the room.

"GIVE ME THE CASKET!" Thanos screamed, towering over Loki. Loki grinned wanly.

"No."

Thanos emitted a scream of fury, raising his hands in the air. Loki, who was slowly feeling his energy return, braced himself.

But the expected impact did not come.

Odin had recovered from his injuries and, with Hogun's help (who had returned from the lower chambers with Fandral), had freed himself from the shackles that bound him. The All-Father's gaze was deadly, and even Loki felt a stab of fear as Odin advanced on Thanos.

"Odin," Thanos breathed, his tone breathless.

"You won't win, Thanos," Odin warned, raising his staff just as Thanos sent a powerful bolt of energy at him. The energy bolt hit Odin's staff and immediately rebounded on Thanos.

With wide-eyed surprise, Thanos glanced down at the large burn mark that had formed on his torso. Slowly the pain registered in his body, like a sudden tidal wave that crashed against his torso and flowed through his nerves.

Thanos fell to his knees, clutching the wound. He didn't see Thor stand behind him, nor did he notice the soft whoosh as the God of Thunder slammed Mjolnir on the side of his head. All he felt was pain.

Unbearable pain.

And then the world went black.

* * *

Victory.

That was the only word that rang in the air as Thanos was finally defeated. The Chitauri and Leviathan all dropped down from the skies as their leader fell.

Slowly the Asgardians picked up the pieces of the attack, tended to the wounded, and cheered for Thor, Sif, the Warriors Three, and the All-Father.

But Loki was oblivious to all of these. The wounds Thanos had inflicted on him were severe, and even his healing factor could not fix the external and internal bruises.

Thor had his younger brother brought to the healing room, where a group of healers immediately set to work curing the Frost Giant.

"He fought bravely," Thor murmured. Frigga stood beside him, her head bowed. "He will live, Mother. He will."

"But will he ever be the same again?" Tears slipped down Frigga's cheeks. Tears for Loki, for Sigyn, and for her grandchild. "So much has happened to him, Thor. So much tragedy. Will he ever be the Loki of old?"

Thor placed a comforting hand on Frigga's shoulders. Usually it was she who offered him words of comfort, but now he found that their roles had been reversed.

"If there is one thing Loki is, it is being utterly stubborn," Thor declared, and even Frigga had to smile at that. "He will push through."

In the silence of the healing room, Odin joined his wife and son in their vigil.

"The people are clamoring for you, my son," Odin said. His eyes slowly fastened on his youngest, who was partially hidden by the white silk robes of the healers. "But I told them that you were with your brother."

"You returned his powers." Thor glanced at the All-Father, who nodded. "Loki was innocent of your charges."

Odin ignored the accusatory tone. "I admit I have made a grave mistake. I do not expect Loki's forgiveness."

The three of them fell silent as one of the healers walked towards them.

"Well?" Thor inquired impatiently.

"My Lord, the prince has suffered a great deal of damage," the healer reported. "We cannot…his healing factor is not enough."

"How can that be? Thanos did the same to Sigyn, and yet she never-"

"It is highly possible that Thanos healed Sigyn and returned her to her former state, so that she could continue his work," Odin suggested. "But with Thanos gone, we may not…"

Odin had ordered Thanos to be stripped of his powers using the very same cube that he had coveted. Thanos, once one of the most powerful beings in the galaxy, was no more than a shadow of what he had once been.

"What are you saying?" Frigga asked fearfully. "Are you saying Loki might die?"

The healer said nothing, but his eyes confirmed Frigga's fears. The healer stood there for a few more moments before turning back to Loki.

From Thor's viewpoint he could see that Loki was half-naked, with his lower body covered by a sheet. True enough, countless wounds dotted the Frost Giant's body, as if bloodied constellations had been etched on it.

"Loki won't die," Thor said to himself. "I must give him something to live for."

* * *

Thor strode down the Bifrost. Sif followed in his wake, her black hair streaming behind her.

"What are you planning?" she asked sharply, coming to a halt as Heimdall appeared.

The gatekeeper had been freed by Thor when the God of Thunder arrived in Asgard. Heimdall now clutched his massive sword, his eyes wide yet thoughtful.

"Heimdall, what news from Midgard?" Thor called.

"She lives," Heimdall stated. "They both live."

"Who lives?" Thor gripped Mjolnir. "Sigyn?"

Heimdall nodded. "Sigyn and the child. Antonia."

Thor's eyes widened. "Antonia Potts? What does she have to do with this?"

"Who's Antonia?" Sif stood beside Thor, her arms crossed.

Hemdall remained silent, and Thor was under the impression that the gatekeeper was seeing something no normal eye could see. Finally Heimdall looked at Thor.

"Antonia is Loki's daughter. The child we all thought was dead still lives. She lives."

"Oh Gods," Sif murmured.

Thor breathed, trying to calm his pounding heart. Finally he smiled. Heimdall must have known what Thor was thinking, because he smiled as well.


	19. Chapter 19

**Bring Me to Life**

_Save me Loki_, Sigyn's voice called. _Save me from what I've become._

"Sigyn," Loki murmured. "Sigyn."

The healers glanced at each other as Loki continued murmuring Sigyn's name. One of them nodded and a healer broke away from the group to deliver the news that Loki was conscious, although slightly delirious.

_Loki wake up_, Sigyn urged. _Please, my love. Wake up._

Sigyn's voice rang in Loki's ears that it seemed as if she was sitting beside him. Loki's fingers twitched and finally groped the side of the bed he was lying on, as if expecting to feel his wife's warm flesh beneath his skin. When he couldn't find the warmth that he sought, he found himself slipping back into darkness. His eyes, however, opened and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Outside the healing room, Thor and Sif hurried past several servants. Heimdall had just told them all about the events that surrounded Sigyn and Antonia in Midgard, from the latter's discovery by Pepper Potts to the former's realization that Antonia was her daughter. Now, both the God of Thunder and the female warrior headed to the healing room, intent on delivering the good news to Loki before anything else happened to him.

Although Odin had suggested using the Tesseract to heal the Frost Giant, Freya had stopped him, saying that they did not know how to wield it.

"We might do some irreparable damage," she had said, and Odin had to agree. So far, Loki was the only Asgardian who handled the Tesseract, and he was the one who was in dire need of it.

"I hope to the Gods we're not too late," Thor murmured as he and Sif finally reached the healing room. The doors suddenly swung open, revealing one of the healers. The healer's eyes widened as he saw Thor.

"My Lord! Your brother has awakened!" the healer announced after a few seconds, hurrying back inside the healing room.

Thor and Sif glanced at each other before following the healer inside. Sure enough, they saw Loki on the bed, his eyes wide open. His face was devoid of any emotion, but as Thor approached his younger brother, he heard Loki murmur Sigyn's name over and over again.

"Loki," Thor said, sitting down on the bed. "She lives."

Loki turned his head towards Thor and stared at him blankly. "Who?"

"Sigyn," Thor answered. He was bursting to tell Loki about Antonia, but Heimdall had urged him to do it one at a time so as not to overwhelm the God of Mischief.

"She will always live," Loki corrected him, his tone monotonous. "She will always live in my heart."

Thor sighed. If he didn't know that Loki had been tortured by Thanos, he had a mind to tell his brother to stop with the theatrics. "She does live, Loki. And so does your child."

The last phrase had an immediate effect on Loki. He snapped his head back towards Thor, his eyes widening. "Is this true? Do not jest, brother."

"I would never trick you, Loki. You are the trickster in this family, remember?" Thor reminded him with a smile. "Your child does live. She-"

"I have a daughter?" Loki interrupted, a look of wonder coming over him. Although he was still weak, the news had a revitalizing effect on him. Thor saw that his suspicions were correct: all Loki needed was something to live for.

With Sigyn and Antonia both alive and free from Thanos's cruel grip, Loki was sure to fight his way to recovery. Thor also knew that had Loki not been overwhelmed by Thanos, he would still have fought to have Sigyn released from her mental bondage.

Thor nodded, pleased to be the bearer of the news. "A strong, healthy, and rather cheeky daughter. I met her when I went to Asgard. She has your hair and Sigyn's eyes."

Loki closed his eyes and smiled, imagining what his daughter looked like. An actual child and not a bump on his wife's belly. A child whose feet kicked and strained to reach him, separated only by Sigyn's flesh.

"I must see them," Loki declared, struggling to sit up. His strength still wasn't fully with him and he used up whatever energy he had collected with that simple gesture. He fell back on the bed with an exhausted sigh. "Thor, I cannot stay here. Not when my wife and my...my daughter need me."

"They are perfectly safe, Loki," Thor assured him. "As we speak, they are currently with Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers. No harm will come to either of them, I assure you."

Loki looked like he wanted to argue, but he saw the logic behind Thor's words and lay back down.

"I must see them, Thor," Loki insisted.

"You will. Rest and gather your strength, brother. You will certainly need it when you see your wife and child again."

Loki stared at Thor for a few more seconds before he closed his eyes and slept.

* * *

Freya clapped her hands to her mouth. The news that Thor had delivered to her, Frigga, and Odin couldn't have come at a better time. The knowledge that both her daughter and her grandchild (_granddaughter_, Freya corrected herself) were alive brought forth a vitality that made Freya feel as if she was young again.

"I apologize if I did not tell you first, Freya," Thor said, bringing a goblet of wine to his lips. "But it was most urgent that Loki learn of the news before anyone else."

"I understand," Freya answered with a smile. "He needs them more than I do."

"So he is going to be well, then?" Frigga couldn't keep the joy from her face or her voice. Even Odin was having difficulty maintaining his composure.

Thor nodded. "We need not use the Tesseract or the Casket. I do believe that in this case, the Midgardians were right about one thing."

The three older gods looked at him curiously.

"They say that love conquers all, even the most grievous of wounds," Thor finished with a satisfied smile.

Freya murmured her agreement, while Frigga and Odin exchanged a meaningful glance. They all remained silent as they finished the rest of her meal, with Thor and Odin breaking the monotony whenever they requested for another goblet of wine.

"What else does Heimdall say of my granddaughter?" Freya finally asked eagerly, once the plates were all cleared. "And you! What did you think of her?"

"Very much like her father," Thor replied at once. "But she has Sigyn's eyes. I knew there was something familiar about her, but I couldn't place what it was."

Freya smiled with satisfaction and then turned to Odin. "There must be a celebration, All-Father. We must welcome Sigyn and Antonia home."

"Naturally. Even I wouldn't have things any other way." Odin answered. "But what kind of name is 'Antonia'? Surely we must think of something more fitting."

"I believe that is up to Loki and Sigyn to decide." Frigga rested a hand on top of Odin's. "I'm certain they will pick a lovely name."

* * *

_Stark Towers_

"So she's the daughter of your cousin, huh?" Tony said a little accusingly. "I didn't think you, of all people, would lie to me."

Pepper stood her ground. "I didn't know Antonia was Loki's daughter! I just found her in your lounge, lying underneath an overturned chair! What was I supposed to do, Tony? Leave her there?"

Tony opened his mouth and then closed it. "You could have at least told me the truth!"

"Well I didn't. And I don't regret a single thing I did, Tony. Not one. Besides what are you so mad about? That I lied to you? That Antonia is really the daughter of your enemy?"

"Both," Tony replied through clenched teeth. "I never should have let her come so close."

"You don't mean that," Pepper told him.

Tony gritted his teeth but didn't say anything. Pepper knew that Tony loved Antonia too much for him to stay mad at her; Bruce had even forgotten the slight altercation he and Sigyn had and was now playing with Antonia outside. Tony paced his office, running his hand through his hair.

"Okay so I don't," he said finally. "But what's going to happen now? Is she staying with us or-?"

Pepper looked away. "I think the most likely thing that's going to happen is that she's leaving with her mom."

Pepper could feel tears threaten to spill from her eyes, but she willed these away. Even Tony's eyes were looking moist, but he wiped these away without a second thought. The two of them simply stood there, watching as Antonia waddled on her year old legs and hugged Bruce on the back.

"She's coming back, isn't she?" Tony asked. Pepper ignored the way Tony's voice trembled slightly and shrugged.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows, Tony?"

"Yeah, well if she doesn't, I'm going up there and getting her my damned self." Tony shook his shoulders and ran a hand through his hair one last time before stepping out of his office.

Pepper watched as Tony joined Bruce, Antonia, and Sigyn on the couch. The billionaire faltered slightly as he looked at Sigyn, who smiled at him warmly. He seemed to take that as a cue that he was welcome, because he sat up straight and called Antonia, who promptly climbed onto his back.

_Whether he wants to admit it or not, he's sure going to miss her_, Pepper thought sadly. _We all would_.


	20. Chapter 20

**Honorary Junior Member**

_Stark Towers_

The Chitauri and the Leviathan had been defeated. Sigyn, along with Tony Stark and the other Avengers, had gone back out into the city to quell the chaos and stop the massive army from doing any more damage. Sigyn used the powers that Thanos had given her in small bursts, so as to preserve the energy that still remained in her body.

However, they were only in the city for a few minutes when the Chitauri and the Leviathan all fell from the sky, lifeless. Sigyn reasoned that Thanos, who was the main control and power source of the army, had been stopped.

"Thor has probably stopped him," Sigyn had said, smiling wistfully.

She was now in Stark Towers with the other Avengers, watching as Antonia played with Bruce. The two of them had resolved their differences, all for the sake of the dark-haired child shakily walking on the floor between them. The other Avengers, on the other hand, were rather stony-faced (especially Tony).

Sigyn was aware that Thanos had lied to her about her husband and that Loki was still alive. She had used whatever telepathic ability she had and was able to access Loki's mind. He was hurt, but Sigyn urged him to fight through his wounds and get better. She knew Loki would never leave her, even if it was Death himself who was claiming him.

Antonia tugged gently at Bruce's curls and the doctor laughed.

"Father doesn't have curly hair," Antonia told him, and Bruce nodded. "He has really straight hair, like mine."

Bruce didn't tell Antonia that he had repeatedly bashed Loki to the ground in that very suite; he certainly didn't want to ruin the moment he was having with the child. Sigyn smiled fondly at her daughter, who turned just in time to see Tony striding out of his office. Antonia immediately walked towards him, her arms outstretched.

Despite himself, Tony crouched down and watched as Antonia walked towards him. Her steps were still wobbly and she nearly fell; Tony caught her at the last minute.

"Tony, you're still mad," she scolded him gently, placing her tiny hand on his cheek. "You don't look good when you're mad."

Pepper had a knowing look on her face. She knew that whatever Tony said, Antonia had become a close part of his life, and he could never stay mad at her for long.

"Sorry kid," Tony apologized. "I just have a lot of things on my mind."

"I know my mother did some bad things, but she didn't mean it," Antonia insisted.

Tony opened his mouth to reply, but Sigyn stood up suddenly. Antonia slowly turned her head to look at Sigyn (the goddess smiled at this familiar gesture) and rested her head on Tony's shoulder.

"I would like to apologize and ask for your forgiveness," Sigyn began, looking at the Avengers. Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, and Tony all raised their heads. "For all the crimes that I have committed. I would apologize on behalf of my husband as well, but I fear we have never promised to speak on behalf of each other. All we wanted was to be accepted; all Loki wanted was to be loved and approved. But I see now - and I know he does as well - that what we have been doing was wrong. I can never turn back time, nor can I bring to life all the people who perished because of what we did. But if there is anything I can do to make up for what I and my husband have done, I will do it in a heartbeat."

"I can't necessarily blame you," Clint said carefully. "You weren't in your right mind, after all. Thanos controlled most of your actions."

Sigyn hesitated. "I'm not completely sure about that. A part of me wanted to hurt you, to seek revenge on what you did to my husband. But I regret that things had gotten blown out of proportion."

The Avengers exchanged glances. They weren't ready to fully forgive Sigyn or Loki, but she looked earnest. If there was one thing they knew, it was that Sigyn only loved far too much.

Finally Tony shrugged. "Eh. Just don't do it again."

With some form of camaraderie established, things became more relaxed. Antonia slowly pulled away from Tony (who tried not to look too hurt) and went over to her mother, where she slept in Sigyn's arms. The Avengers then convened with Nick Fury, who hesitantly agreed to give Sigyn some form of pardon. With this done, the Avengers had to face the fact that Sigyn and Antonia would be heading to Asgard soon.

It was a silent agreement among everyone involved that Sigyn and Antonia would return to their own realm, and Tony was having a difficult time accepting it. Antonia was spending far too much of her time with Sigyn, which left Tony to simply watch them from afar.

Things changed the third day of Antonia and Sigyn's stay in Stark Towers. Tony had dozed off on the couch after finishing several blueprints of upgrades that he planned to place in his Iron Man suit. At first he was napping quite peacefully, and then...

"Tony!"

Surprised, Tony nearly jumped out of the couch in shock. Antonia grinned impishly and climbed onto the couch, sitting on Tony's lap. The billionaire blinked a few times and then chuckled.

"You did it again, Antonia," he told her, smoothing the hair on her head. "So, what can I do for you today?"

"Play with me," she said. "I told Mother I wanted to spend some time with you. I know we're leaving soon, and I'm going to miss you so much. If I didn't have a father already, I'd choose you."

Tony felt tears form behind his eyes and he blinked them away. Antonia must have understood, because she buried her face in Tony's chest. He could feel her breath against his skin and he kissed the top of her head.

"And if I ever have a daughter, I'd want her to be just like you," he answered softly.

Antonia pulled away from him just long enough to smile. The two then spent the rest of the day watching Antonia's favorite cartoons ("I won't be able to watch them anymore," she had said sadly) and bake cookies. By the time Pepper and Sigyn arrived, they saw that the small kitchen in the suite was covered in flour and other baking ingredients, and that both Antonia and Tony were attacking the cookie dough.

"Tony?" Pepper asked in disbelief. "What the-?"

"We were baking cookies," Antonia announced proudly, in between mouthfuls of cookie dough. Tony, whose cheeks had puffed out due to the amount of cookie dough in his mouth, simply nodded.

"And where are these delicious cookies?" Sigyn walked over to her daughter and brushed some flour off Antonia's forehead.

"We're eating them!" Antonia grinned toothily at Sigyn, who chuckled.

Pepper shook her head in disdain while Sigyn placed Antonia in the sink and started giving her a bath. Tony didn't protest; he was trying to salvage what was left of his composure along with the cookie dough.

* * *

The day finally came. A week after the Chitauri's defeat, Sigyn and Antonia were set to leave for Asgard. They would be taken to New Mexico, where they could access the now-functional Bifrost. Tony and Steve were to accompany them, just to make sure that they reached the portal safely.

Antonia said her goodbyes to all of the Avengers, and it was clear that these sturdy warriors were trying hard not to cry. Bruce gave Antonia a green stuffed toy, which he said came from "the other guy," while Clint gave Sigyn a small bow and a quiver of arrows, which the goddess would give to Antonia when she was a little older.

Natasha carried Antonia for a while and whispered something in the child's ear, while Antonia idly played with Natasha's curls. When Natasha handed Antonia back to Sigyn, she was crying. Antonia reached up and wiped a tear from Natasha's cheek and smiled reassuringly at the woman.

Tony didn't give Antonia anything, saying that he would give Antonia her gift when she returned to Midgard.

"It's something really special, and it's not done yet," Tony declared. Sigyn, who managed to glimpse Tony's mind, silently agreed. "Which means you should be here for Christmas."

Antonia glanced at her mother and then back at Tony. "Can my father come?"

Tony hesitated, wondering what Nick Fury would say if he learned that Tony had invited the God of Mischief over for Christmas. Finally he shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Antonia grinned at this and Sigyn handed the child over to Tony. The billionaire shut his eyes tight and clung to Antonia, and despite his promise that he wouldn't cry, tears slipped unbidden from his eyes. All too soon, Tony handed Antonia back to Sigyn.

"Thank you," Sigyn whispered. "For everything."

Tony nodded wordlessly. "If you hadn't come along, I would have adopted her."

"And I can't think of anyone better to take care of my child," Sigyn assured him, and Tony's mouth pursed into a thin line and he blushed slightly.

It was then when Steve had stepped up, holding a small box. When he flipped the top open, it was a small pin that said "Honorary Junior Member" and had the Avengers' insignia.

"We decided to draft you into the Avengers Initiative," Steve announced as he carefully pinned the item to Antonia's shirt. "Your uncle's in it, after all. Plus you know most of our secrets."

"Does Fury know about this?" Tony asked Clint, who nodded.

Antonia giggled and flung her arms around Steve. "You're welcome."

Finally Sigyn, Antonia, Tony, and Steve boarded Tony's jet that took them to New Mexico. Before the jet could leave, however, Pepper rushed towards the group. "Wait!"

"Pepper!" Antonia nearly flew out of Sigyn's grasp as the blonde made her way up the ramp and into the jet. She strapped herself in beside Antonia while Tony shook his head. "You came!"

"Of course," Pepper answered, kissing Antonia's hand. "Do you think I'd miss this?"

Sigyn and Pepper exchanged smiles and for the rest of the flight, the two talked. Sigyn continued to express her gratitude towards Pepper, who tried her best to look modest.

Jane Foster and Dr. Erik Selvig were there at the site, the former shielding her eyes from the sun. Dr. Selvig was wearing a huge floppy hat that Darcy Lewis had given him when she came back from the Bahamas.

Sigyn exchanged pleasantries with the two other Midgardians. She then raised her eyes to the sky.

"Heimdall! Heimdall, open the Bifrost!" she called, while Antonia tilted her head up curiously. Sigyn could feel the gatekeeper slowly open the portal and she looked back at the people who had helped her and her child. "I will never forget this."

"You'd better not," Tony said, but he was smiling. "I'll see you in a few months, kid."

Antonia waved goodbye, her eyes latched firmly on Tony and Pepper. A bright beam of blue light suddenly appeared from the sky, covering Sigyn and Antonia. For a moment, the two were still visible, but when Tony blinked his eyes, they were gone.


	21. Chapter 21

**All I Ever Wanted**

_**Asgard**_

The entire Asgardian court had gathered in the royal palace. This was a momentous occasion, one that they had all been waiting for. Using the telepathic link Loki had formed with Sigyn, the court determined that Sigyn and Loki's child, Antonia, would be arriving after a week (Midgardian time). Since it didn't give them a lot of time to prepare, all the stops were pulled.

Freya brought in fresh flowers from her region, which now decorated the entire hall. Asgardians rushed to slip into their best attire, and the cooks worked non-stop to prepare a feast. Frigga made sure that the palace was in order, while Sif, Thor, and The Warriors Three checked and double-checked the defenses of the palace.

Nothing could interrupt this event.

But the person who looked forward the most to this day was Loki. His recovery had been swift; according to him, Sigyn had urged him to get well and kept him updated on the activities of their daughter.

_She reminds me of you_, she kept saying, and Loki could practically feel the warmth of his daughter's flesh under his fingers.

Now he stood at the front of the hall in his signature green and gold armor. His horned helmet shone, and as he clasped his hands in front of him, he was strongly reminded of the time when the Asgardians had welcomed Sigyn home from Jotunheim.

Loki remembered of how he had killed Laufey, a man Sigyn had considered to be her father, all for the sake of gaining Odin's approval. He wondered if he should tell her the truth.

"Nervous, brother?" Thor asked him softly, leaning towards him.

Loki turned to look at the God of Thunder. There was no trace of mirth on Thor's face, only extreme fondness. Loki nodded his head once and took a deep breath.

The minutes ticked by and Loki wondered if something had gone wrong.

"She's supposed to be here by now," he murmured to himself. Loki was about to ask Loki if Heimdall was certain that Sigyn had arrived when two thuds echoed around the hall.

"The Lady Sigyn and her daughter, Antonia," a deep voice announced. The two huge doors swung open to reveal Sigyn wearing a salmon pink dress, which dipped down, the neckline barely grazing the curve of her breasts. Her hair was perfectly curled and fell into soft ringlets down the side of her face.

In her arms was a pale skinned little girl with raven black hair. As Sigyn slowly stepped into the hall, the child sat up straighter in Sigyn's arms and took in the sights. The crowd craned their necks to get a better view of the child, who was smiling.

Loki felt his breath catch as his eyes devoured every inch of his wife and child. He made a move as if to step off the podium, but royal decorum told him that he must wait until Sigyn and Antonia reached the foot of the steps.

It was then when Antonia turned her head and spotted Loki. Their gaze locked and all thoughts of royal decorum flew out of his head.

He stepped off the podium and made his way to the two, slowly at first, and then he broke into a run. Sigyn stopped and reached out to him and Loki ran straight into her arms.

"Loki," Sigyn breathed, her voice breaking. "My love."

Loki buried his face in Sigyn's shoulder, inhaling the very scent of her. It had felt like ages since he had last seen her, and now, to hold her in his arms and feel her body beneath his skin, was a welcome respite from everything that they had been through.

Antonia shifted slightly as Loki's armor pressed into her forehead, but she did not complain. Antonia reached up and rapped her fist on the side of Loki's helmet, and the God of Mischief pulled away from his wife just long enough for him to get a close look at his daughter.

"Father," Antonia said, and before Loki knew what was happening, Sigyn handed him the child.

As she did so, Loki saw that Antonia's skin color was changing. At first it was a healthy pink, but then it slowly changed into an icy blue color. The slight chill that came from Antonia's body activated Loki's Jotunn appearance as well, and he felt his skin change and the Jotunn markings form on his face. Loki's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

Seconds later, father and daughter stood in the center of the hall, telling the Asgardians of Loki's true heritage. Loki saw the surprised looks on the faces of the Asgardians, but when he looked at Sigyn, all he saw was pure love. Antonia's head brushed his chin and she giggled as he looked at her as well.

"Father, are my eyes red too?" she asked.

Loki nodded. "Yes they are, my love. Such beautiful eyes."

"That means your eyes are beautiful too," Antonia said automatically.

Tears formed behind Loki's eyes. Try as he might, he knew he could not stop these from falling. Loki kissed the top of Antonia's head and Sigyn joined them.

"Welcome home, my dear," Odin greeted after a time. Loki, Sigyn, and Antonia approached the podium, where Sigyn was reunited with her mother and father, Freya and Iwaldi. Frigga even stepped forward to welcome Sigyn home, while Odin stared at the two Jotunns before him.

With a fond smile at his son and granddaughter, Odin slammed the end of his staff, creating a loud thud that silenced the crowd.

"Today we welcome the return of our beloved Sigyn, as well as the arrival of the Lady Antonia," Odin began, addressing the Asgardians. "Loki is of Jotunn blood, but he is my son and your prince. We welcome you, Sigyn and Antonia. Welcome home."

"Welcome home!"

The greeting was echoed by everyone in the hall, and Antonia smiled and waved at the crowd while resting her head on Loki's shoulder.

With the proceedings complete, Odin bade the guests to the feast, which was to be held outside. The Royal Family stayed behind, however, giving them time together.

Antonia reverted back to her Asgardian appearance with the help of Loki, and she immediately waddled over to her uncle, tugging on his red cape. Thor promptly picked her up and she curled her fingers around his blonde hair.

"Who would have thought," Thor said with a smile. "That you were actually my niece. If I had known I would have taken you from Stark."

Loki raised his eyebrow and turned towards Sigyn, who rested her hand on his wrist. There was much they had to talk about.

Sigyn spent most of the day telling Loki of the things that she had experienced since being kidnapped by Thanos. Loki asked her not to include the details of her torture, a request that she happily obliged. When she had finished, Loki expressed his wish to ask pardon from the Avengers.

"They have invited us over for Christmas," she told him. Loki was unsure what Christmas was, but it seemed to be quite an event, because every time Antonia heard the word, she started running around and giggling.

"And shall we attend?" Loki asked her. Sigyn glanced at Antonia, who was nodding furiously at her behind Loki's back.

"But of course. It would be diplomatic. You can also air your grievances with the Avengers," Sigyn said.

It was then when Loki decided to tell Sigyn about Laufey. He was worried that she would turn away from him, but he knew that she deserved to learn the truth. Laufey may have been a bad father to him, but he had taken good care of Sigyn while she was in Jotunheim.

"He will always be in here," Sigyn said softly, resting her hand on her heart. She admitted that the news came as a shock, but she forgave her husband. Both of them had made many errors in their life, plus Sigyn knew that getting mad at Loki would change nothing.

It certainly wouldn't bring Laufey back. Sigyn was just glad that Loki and Antonia were here with her, and that they were both safe.

That was more than enough for her.

* * *

_**One month later…**_

Antonia proved herself to be Loki's daughter through and through; soon she was pulling pranks that would make even her own father blush with shame. Having inherited Loki's magical abilities and intelligence, Antonia soon learned transfiguration and telekinesis. Antonia changed her uncle's helmet into a white chicken, which pecked at Thor's head until Loki changed it back (albeit reluctantly).

She also formed a close bond with her father and it was a rare sight to see Loki, Sigyn, and Antonia far apart from each other. Thor and Loki repaired the rift in their brotherly relationship and became as close as ever.

Although it took some time for Loki to completely forgive Odin - the God of Mischief blamed his adoptive father for the things that happened to Sigyn - in time he kept a respectable and civil relationship with the All-Father.

The family had settled in Loki and Sigyn's old room, but this time a third bed had been added in the adjoining room, which previously served as a parlor. Antonia carried her Midgardian name for a while, while Loki and Sigyn thought of a suitable name for her.

It came a few days after the Antonia's first month in Asgard, when she tricked Volstagg into thinking his beard had snakes in them.

"You're a little hellion, aren't you?" Loki murmured as he rescued her from Volstagg. He stopped briefly, turning the word over in his head. When he and Antonia reached their chambers, Loki suggested the name 'Hel.'

Sigyn thought about this for a moment before finally agreeing. When asked if she liked her new name, Antonia (Hel) nodded.

"I love it," she said. Loki scooped Hel in his arms and tossed her in the air, causing her to laugh and shriek with delight.

Freya and Iwaldi moved into the palace so that they could be near their granddaughter. Thor occasionally visited Midgard to see Jane, which gave Hel the perfect chance to send Tony messages. Odin and Frigga agreed that the family should visit Midgard for "Christmas."

"After all, it's the least you could do after everything they have done for you," Frigga pointed out to Loki as Hel ran after Thor, trying to sit on his cape. "I'm sure they no longer bear you any ill will."

Loki hoped his mother was right. Everything was back to normal, and he hated to spoil the already perfect life he had with Sigyn and Hel.

But Loki knew he had some unfinished business in Midgard, and he was determined to set things straight.


	22. Epilogue

**Christmas in Midgard**

_**Stark Towers**_

Tony Stark was in a festive mood.

After receiving word that Antonia – who was now called Hel – was arriving in a few days with her parents, he had thrown himself completely into the Christmas spirit. No expense was spared to decorate the entire building, and Tony went Christmas shopping with Pepper every other day.

There were times when Pepper had to restrain the billionaire from buying cartloads of toys for Hel, telling him that the girl only wanted to see _him_. Still Tony insisted that he give Hel the gift he'd had made a few months ago, even before she left for Asgard.

Tony had planned to give it to Hel on her birthday, but since she ended up spending it in Asgard, Tony decided to give it to the child for Christmas.

Now Tony was going through everything on his list – assisted by Jarvis – while the other Avengers tried their best not to look too anxious. Several foes had arrived in Midgard for the past few months, which kept the team busy.

Tony sorely hoped that they wouldn't be needed on Christmas.

"They're late," Tony said impatiently, checking his Rolex. "Point Break said they'd be arriving soon."

"Patience is a virtue," Pepper reminded him gently, and Tony snorted.

Bruce straightened his cuffs, while Natasha ran her fingers up and down the stem of her martini glass.

Suddenly the numbers on the elevator display lit up. The Avengers turned their heads towards the display, as it flashed the numbers in quick succession.

45…46…47…

The numbers stopped at 50, which was the floor where the suite was located. Tony took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

The doors slid open to reveal Sigyn and Loki, both wearing Midgardian clothes. And there, in Loki's arms, was Hel.

"Tony!" Hel cried, wriggling out of her father's grasp and running towards Tony. Tony knelt and Hel flew into his arms. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, kid," Tony murmured, hugging Hel tight. "What have they been feeding you? Jesus, you've gotten heavier!"

"No I haven't!" Hel protested indignantly. Tony laughed and kissed Hel on the cheek. It was then when his eyes rested on the God of Mischief, who was holding hands with Sigyn.

"Loki," Tony said shortly. The other Avengers watched Loki warily, as if they were expecting the god to lash out at them.

For a few minutes the two men simply stared at each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally Pepper and Sigyn sighed and prodded the two men forward.

"Tony Stark," Loki said, raising his hand.

Tony shook it firmly. "Laufeyson."

"Thank you for inviting me over for Christmas," Loki continued, while Hel made faces at Bruce.

"It was nothing. Anto- I mean Hel – was insistent."

"Yes, she can be rather persuasive," Loki agreed with a small smile. It was then when Hel returned to Loki's arms, idly playing with his hair. "Hel."

Hel blinked at looked at him, and then she remembered. "Oh, I almost forgot! Put me down, Father, please."

Loki's mouth twitched and he lowered his daughter on the floor, where she stood a few feet away from him. She raised her arms and concentrated, feeling the magic flow through her body and out her fingertips.

With a flick of her chubby wrists, she conjured the gift boxes that Loki had concealed prior to their departure from Midgard. Hel grinned widely and glanced up at her father, who winked.

"What's this?" Tony asked in surprise.

"I brought you all gifts!" Hel declared cheerfully. "I even got something for Nick Fury: a new eyepatch. It's almost like the one Grandfather wears."

Loki levitated the gift boxes to one of the tables while Sigyn and Hel followed the Avengers to the main party area. Hel took great pleasure in handing out the gifts and insisted that they all open the gifts in front of her.

Iwaldi, Hel's grandfather, had sent Clint had a new bow. It was made from polished ivory and strands of Sleipnir's mane ("Father had to convince him to pluck some off; Sleipnir's mane is really strong, so your string won't break," Hel explained). A new quiver of arrows that had fine white feathers came with the gift.

Freya gave Pepper a fine blue dress, which set off her golden locks beautifully. Odin, of course, was the one who sent Nick Fury a deep black eye patch that was considerably sturdier than the pirate-like eyepatch Fury was wearing.

Frigga gave Natasha a gold woven bracelet, and Thor and Sigyn were responsible for Steve and Bruce's gifts: a shield made from thromium and stretchable pants.

"I understand you destroy your clothes whenever you…transform," Sigyn said as Bruce held up the pants. "I'm certain this can stretch to whatever length, so you can wear it under your garments and you won't have to cover yourself up."

Hel giggled from behind Loki's back and peeked out at Bruce, who turned beet red.

"Thanks…This is very…I mean…" Bruce stuttered. "Thank you."

"No. Thank _you_," Sigyn corrected him, making Bruce blush even more.

Loki caught Hel's eye and they both grinned.

Finally Loki and Hel handed Tony their gift, which was a small blue orb. Tony held it up and then looked at the two. "What's this?"

"It's a portion of the Tesseract," Loki explained. "It can act as a small shield. It's not enough to do damage, but has sufficient energy to repel attacks. I believe you would find that useful in the future."

"And you trust me with this?" Tony eyed the god critically, who smirked.

"Perhaps you should have been asking me that question," Loki said evenly. "After all, I did try and use the Tesseract to take over your world."

"True," Tony agreed. "Well…thanks for this."

Loki nodded his head once. Some of the tension between the two men broke, and the party commenced. Most of the event was spent over the buffet table; Clint and Steve wanted to find out if Bruce could get drunk, while the women gathered in one corner and talked. Loki took the chance to patch things up with Tony, which the latter shook off.

"It's fine," Tony said with a wave of his hand. "Like I told your wife, just don't do it again."

Hel followed Tony and Loki over the suite, looking at the billionaire expectantly. She remembered that Tony had a gift for her, and she was determined to pester him silently until he gave it to her. Her efforts paid off when Tony stopped.

"You haven't forgotten, have you?" Tony asked, and Hel shook her head. Tony excused himself for a while and Hel hopped onto the couch, bouncing slightly.

Sigyn met her husband's perplexed expression and she smiled. Loki saw the mental image his wife had and he chuckled softly.

A few minutes later Tony returned, holding a box. He had barely set it on the table when Hel opened it, lifting a silver horned helmet, similar to her father's.

"It's just like Father's!" Hel exclaimed, clearly pleased.

"I thought you might want one of your own," Tony explained. He helped Hel fit the helmet over her head and she twisted around to look at her father.

"How do I look, Father?"

"Beautiful and fierce, just like your mother," Loki replied. To Tony, Loki said: "Thank you."

Tony smiled, which Loki returned.

* * *

Christmas in Midgard was a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

Loki, Sigyn, and Hel stayed long enough for them to visit the different landmarks in New York, usually accompanied by Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. Thor arrived a few days after his younger brother and sister-in-law, visiting Jane Foster in New Mexico before travelling to New York just in time for the New Year celebrations.

As the Avengers, Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Dr. Erik Selvig, and Pepper Potts raised their glasses to herald in the New Year (Hel had fallen asleep on the couch), Loki and Sigyn slipped away for some time alone.

"I love you, Sigyn," Loki murmured, seconds before the fireworks flew into the sky.

"And I love you, Loki Laufeyson." Sigyn caressed the side of her husband's face and closed her eyes as Loki closed the gap between their lips.

The moment Loki's lips touched hers, the fireworks erupted in the sky, filling the night with light. And that was exactly what Loki considered Sigyn to be: a brilliant light illuminating the darkness that was once his life.

**The End**

Or is it?

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you to all those who have read, favorited, followed, and, of course, reviewed this fanfic. Special mention goes out to Enakhra, NinjaBunny, and Sam-and-Cari. You guys are awesomely amazing! ^_^b Currently planning a Loki/OC!Sigyn fanfic, so I hope to see you all there! Oh yes, and my primary face claim for Sigyn is Viva Bianca (also known as Ilythia in Starz "Spartacus"), because of her beautiful dresses and that baby bump in Season 2. :) **


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